Faith and Wit
by A Cynical Owl
Summary: After a struggle to save an Imperial world from damnation, the remains of an Inquisitorial team and their temporary Eldar Allies are thrown into a universe the antithesis of their own.
1. Aftermath of a Struggle

_Author's note: I've had this knocking round for a while now, as just a fun little project but now I've decided to post it, cause you know, what the hell!_

_I'm quite new to this whole writing business but I want to learn all I can, all reviews are immensely welcome, the more critical the better!_

_Big credit must go to both Ursakar and Colonel-Mustard1990 for their amazing stories, The mission stays the Same and Hammerhead respectively. Both of whom are the primary inspiration behind this and the reason it exists._

_DISCLAIMER Warhammer 40k belongs to Games Workshop. Mass Effect belongs to Bioware._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter One: The aftermath of struggle<strong>

Pain. Thoughtlessness. Adrift.

Suddenly order was imposed in the chaos and the laws of physics reinstated themselves.

Inquisitor Eisenmus opened his eyes. They ached. Dull after-images of things better left unspoken danced across his vision before fading. He was glad he couldn't remember them. The first thing he saw was light. A blinding light from above. He squinted his eyes and brought a hand up to shield them. He was relieved to see his hands were still there.

His armoured gauntlet eclipsed the blinding light from his face, letting his overstrained eyes adapt.

There was sky above him. This was strange. It was not the pollutant choked muddy smear of Agrippus but a deep blue, interlaced with feathery wisps of clouds.

His aching, barely woken mind didn't make much of it. He sought to stand. He felt the stone of the inner sanctum beneath him, dust and rubble caked the floor from their duel with the daemon. His powered armour unwillingly brought him to his feet. Servos and mechanisms protested at the movement. His eyes were slowly adjusting to the bright light. The surrounding environment began to swim into focus.

That's when he realized the roof was missing.

Far above him, where there should have been a great mosaic of the founding of the noble House Pastorii, was empty sky. The walls and columns ended about fifty metres above his head. The roof of the great chamber had been sliced off.

As he took stock of the disconcerting situation, he glimpsed the body of one of his retinue lying half buried in a pile of rubble. It was Hayt, a stormtrooper in his employ. He wasn't moving.

The inquisitor headed over and cleared away the debris. The armour giving his weakened body the strength it needed to haul some of the larger pieces of rubble off the man. He lifted the stoormtrooper's body out and carefully laid him on the ground. His heavy carapace armour had been dented but looked intact.

Eisenmus rested an oversized hand in Hayt's chest. Autosensors in the armour detected a faint heartbeat. Good, still alive. He gently rested the body of his companion back down. He could do nothing for him yet.

Eisenmus warily explored the surrounding area. He passed the holy relic of the shrine, the Sigil of the Pastorii. Only now he realised he could barely look at it. It was giving off light, so much light he brought his hand up to shield his eyes.

His hand did nothing. The Sigil's light passed right through armour, flesh and bone. Confused momentarily, he understood. It wasn't giving out light, it was pouring out psychic power. Far, far more than Eisenmus had ever seen before. He stood transfixed in awe at the power before him. It was said that this device had been given to House Pastorii by the Emperor himself. Looking at it now, he could believe it.

Unconsciously, he made the sign of the aqila.

With heavy treads on the stone floor, he turned his search elsewhere. He encountered Hakkon, a magos of the mechanicum, in a similar position to Hayt. Eisenmus made his way over and tried to drag the tech priest to a less rubble caked area of the floor. Despite its strength, his armour protested at the effort. The magos was a fusion of man and machine and weighed much more than the stormtrooper.

As Eisenmus dragged him across the floor he saw one of the magos' mechadendrites twitch. Then one of the magos' eyes glowed dully red. He turned his head to view Eisenmus.

"Lord?" A weak, vox warbled voice muttered.

"Easy, Hakkon. I've just pulled you from rubble. Is anything broken?"

The magos stared into space for a few seconds before replying. "No, internal systems diagnostic complete. All systems operational, many require maintenance, Lord"

"If you can manage it, I need you up and about. Hayts been injured. I need your sensor suites."

"Sensor suites operational, Lord. Thank the Omnissiah" Hakkon stumbled upright, making full use of his four back mechadendrites for support. He staggered over to the prone body of Hayt. The magos extended his left hand, several digits had been replaced or augmented with other devices. He rested this hand over Hayt's body and remained still for several seconds.

"Internal bruising. 3 broken ribs. Unconscious. No life threatening conditions." The sensor hand was withdrawn.

Hakkon looked up, as if noticing it for the first time. "The roof has disappeared, lord" he said plainly.

The inquisitor nodded in agreement. "Yes I've noticed. I've been awake only so long as to get both you and Hayt out of the rubble. I am at a loss to explain the roof."

"This cathedral possessed eight levels above our current one lord. Addendum, the sky above is inconsistent with the chemical makeup of Agrippus" atmosphere.'

Eisenmus had made his way over to the doors of the inner sanctum. They were shut. "Yes. I'm going to investigate the exterior, I'm not sure if we won or lost the battle, Hakkon."

"We continue to survive, Lord." he replied, "that is victory enough for now."

Eisenmus grinned, always surprised at the magos' brief forays into his shrivelled and long forgotten humanity. His armour grunted in protest as he hauled the heavy doors open.

What he saw beyond, he did not expect.

"Hakkon? Come see this" the magos stood next to the inquisitor

The magos paused momentarily beside Eisenmus, his optics made several whirring sounds as they focused to the view. Eisenmus liked to think this was his way of showing confusion.

"The rest of the cathedral is missing, Lord."

The magos was correct. The tiled stone floor, still raked with potholes and craters from the desperate battle, ended about twenty metres from Eisenmus' location. Beyond that lay wild grasslands, with several species of vegetation familiar to Eisenmus and several that weren't. In the far distance Eisenmus could see snow peaked mountains. The beautiful panorama before him worried him. The imperial world of Agrippus was for the most part, a smog choked polluted death world. This vista did not belong to Agrippus.

The magos, far less guided by surprise and emotion walked over to the sharp divide between cathedral floor and grass dirt. He examined the boundary and used one if his additional limbs to take a sample of the soil. He brought it up near his face to examine it while another mechadendrite dug out a small section of the soil near the boundary.

After concluding the sample was of no more value to him, he turned his attention to the boundary line itself.

"The structure was sheared, Lord. Very accurately. What ever did this cut through both the floor and the columns above us."

He turned to the grass. "Existing grass was displaced. Am detecting abnormally high concentrations of ozone on the perimeter."

"Warpcraft?" Eisenmus asked.

"Most probable conclusion at this point, Lord. I need additional data to elaborate on preliminary findings, lord."

Eisenmus nodded "Good, I want to know what just happened here. Scan for vox traffic. We need to find a transport to come and pick us up."

"If you look for aid you won't find it here, Monkeigh." a female voice called out through the ruins.

Both imperials swivelled to find the source of the voice. Hakkon was the first.

"Lord, on the column to your left."

Eisenmus looked and saw the damned farseer standing on one of the sheared columns. He instinctively reached for his blade. It wasn't at his hip! It must be back in on the floor in the shrine. He cursed and brought his wrist mounted bolter up to aim at the xeno. As he did so, he saw the farseer wasn't paying them much attention, instead looking out into the landscape. Eisenmus risked a glance to where the Eldar was looking, in case there may be more of them out there.

"What do you want xeno?" he asked.

The Eldar turned to look at him.

"If you're looking for help, you won't find it. We've already tried." She hopped down from the column gracefully. Eisenmus kept his weapon trained on her. "We've already tried to find anything resembling technology in the area. So far, we've discovered nothing."

"Did you do this?" Eisenmus demanded. The farseer sighed.

"Must your kind always be so dense? If we wanted to trap you, do you really think we would have made the mistake of getting caught in it ourselves? " The blank eyes of her helmet glared at him.

Eisenmus considered this. The eldar were treacherous, but incompetent? No. Then again, this could be another mechanism to catch them off guard. He hesitated… But why would they? The three imperials had been unconscious until a few minutes ago, the eldar looked as if they had been awake for much longer. If they had wanted to kill them, they had plenty of opportunity.

Slowly, he lowered his weapon. Though he still kept an eye on the farseer, "Where are we?" he ventured.

"I do not know, Monkeigh. Whatever happened in the battle with the daemon threw us here." She paused and Eisenmus got the peculiar suspicion that she was hiding something from him.

"Is there anyone else?" The imperial asked her.

She shook her head "No, apart from you, me and my ranger. There is no one else in the surrounding area."

"Your ranger? Where is she?"

"She has gone to look around the area. To try and find any trace of life. If she finds it, she will return."

Eisenmus nodded, not fully trusting the eldar. "We'll await her return then. Don't wander off, I want to keep my eye on you."

* * *

><p>Eleiyra watched the farseer and the monkeigh inquisitor from atop the treeline through the scope of her rifle. She had been aiming at the leader's head, waiting for her farseer to give the command. It did not come so she lay in wait. After a few moments the imperial stopped talking to her and wandered off to his colleagues.<p>

Eleiyra relaxed and lowered her rifle. She didn't know what to tell the farseer. There was nothing on this planet. Nothing. Usually on worlds there was the trace of the webway, but her instruments picked up nothing. Maiden worlds like this without webway gates did exist but were rare. This couldn't be a monkeigh world, of that she was sure. They lurched about on their worlds throwing pollutants and chemicals into the atmosphere killing the planet beneath them.

Eleiyra swooped around the branch and dropped down from her purchase point in the tree. She made no noise as she landed on the forest floor. Her chameleon cloak instantly matching the background, rendering her nigh invisible. She strode through the forest in silence, maintaining her discipline even now. She knew from experience that even worlds as beautiful as this could harbour some of the most deadly predators.

She looked up to the planet's sun. She had been tracking it for several hours. It had nearly completed its descent below the horizon. She would return to the farseer before nightfall, but until then she would continue to search the area. She had to, otherwise they were stuck here.

* * *

><p>Eisenmus made his way over to Hayt, he was still unconscious. The magos was stationed over him, performing a more detailed examination.<p>

"How is he?" He asked Hakkon.

"Minor injuries to external limbs. Broken bone in arm. Internal bruising of ribcage. Non life threatening. Will survive, lord."

"Good. Do we need any other supplies for him?"

"Nothing that we can obtain here. His injuries are non life threatening. Specialized medication not required. However, I request we attempt to secure water and food sources."

"Didn't think you ate Hakkon"

"I rarely eat, Lord. My metabolistic structures are very efficient at recycling the necessary materials"

Eisenmus grunted, not sure what to make of that. Hayt was still unconscious. "Tell me when he wakes up. I'm going to talk with our guests."

"As you command, lord"

Eisenmus approaches Glaedara. "Where's your friend?"

She looked at him, " I told you, she is scouting. She will return by nightfall."

"Hmph. Do you have any idea where we are, xeno?"

"No, I do not. If I did, neither you or we would be here."

"Do you have a means of communicating with your friend?"

"Of course, Monkeigh." Came the terse reply.

Eisenmus sighed. "Tell her if she sees any water or food sources nearby to mark them out. If you don't know where we are we'll need them. I have no idea if you eat like humans do but I'm sure you don't want to die on this rock anymore than we do."

"I will make sure she understands."

"Good." he left the eldar.

"Human?" She called after him. Eisenmus turned back to her.

"What is the relic in this place? I find it hard to see for that blasted thing"

Eisenmus scoffed, the eldar absent mindedly mocking the sacred imperial relic. He momentarily hesitated on divulging the information, but decided against it. It was public knowledge to any imperial servant anyway.

He shrugged, "The Sigil of House Pastorii, granted to the noble House of Pastorii by the Emperor himself in the great crusade."

"Hmm, I thought there was something different about it." She mused. As if dismissing the information, she turned back to stare at the sky. The inquisitor didn't know why she bothered. The sun was still out, the stars wouldn't be visible for another while yet.

* * *

><p>Glaedara looked up at the stars. Her helmet's instruments more than compensating for the light. They weren't in any pattern she could recognise, though she had rarely studied stars form the surface of a planet before. She had always done it on the craftworld. Back on that great worldship they were always brightly shining down on her, the only sources of light outside the ship's hull.<p>

The Sigil gnawed at her mind, it was like standing next to a very bright light and a very loud noise at the same time. She found it hard to concentrate with that much energy right beside her. She could believe that it was touched by the human seer. She had felt his touch before in the damned lighthouse the humans use for their navigation. A beacon shining across the galaxy so that they had something to latch their feeble powers onto.

But now the same power was right next to her. Engulfing her. She looked down from the sky and rubbed her head. It had been close in the warp, for her and Eleiyra both. She had felt She Who Thirsts. Its presence just inches away from her. Ironically it might have been that damned Sigil that saved them. Despite what they said, the eldar knew the power of the human emperor. They saw what his touch did to the daemonic forces. He was inimical to them. She would never admit this, but she knew the senior eldar were very interested in this capability.

She sighed and tried to remove her mind from the Sigil. She failed. Ever since becoming conscious she had tried to see the future. Each time she tried she found it fuzzy, opaque, like a fog. The threads of the universe were hidden from her.

It was a disquieting notion. She felt less than what she was. Like having a sense stripped from her.

It must be the Sigil she thought, her mind returning to it. It was dampening her abilities. She wondered if she got further away from it, it might dissipate. Though she would probably need to be on another planet to see any measurable effect.

For the first time in an age she truly did not know what the future lay for her. She felt the unknowns creep into her thought. Questions with answers that could have been known to her if her sight was returned.

This is how the monkeigh live their lives? She thought. She'd have to do something, the longer the imperials were left to themselves the more chaotic things would become. She'd have to guide them down a more ordered path, or the two eldar would die here, without point or purpose.

She relaxed her mind and sought out Eleiyra. Across a hill range she could sense the pathfinder, a bright spark of energy amid the dullness.

"Eleiyra" she said.

"Yes farseer?" came the reply

"What have you found."

"Nothing yet farseer, I don't know this world, though I can't see any sense of civilization. Though my range is limited."

"Have you discovered any rivers or lakes nearby?"

"Yes, there was a lake near to your location."

"Good, I want you to return here and show us."

"As you command farseer."

Glaedara cut the telepathic link. She didn't like to admit it but the monkeigh made sense. They'd have to find water if they were going to be here for any length of time.

* * *

><p>Hakkon stood next to Hayt. The soldier was injured, but not seriously. He needed treatment, but Hakkon did not have the correct equipment to initiate medical procedures. He instead busied himself with trying to find out where they were.<p>

He had turned his auspexes and optical implants to the sky and tried to form a starmap of the surrounding systems. He had identified and cataloged eight nearby stars so far. Simultaneously he ran a comparison algorithm to try and match the star systems with those in his data banks. He possessed no where near the total charted star charts of the Imperium, but nevertheless he had thousands of charts. It was possible he could make a match.

* * *

><p>Unbeknownst to both parties, far away their arrival on the planet had been noticed.<p>

The warp blast that brought them, and a chunk if the cathedral there with them sent out a massive shock wave, through the warp and through real space.

A huge wave of exotic matter erupted through space. This was picked up by nearby human particle detectors stationed through space. Implementing their programming, they relayed the information back to alliance headquarters where it showed as a high priority ping on the brass's maps.

It was identified as anomaly G-394 and was given a high priority alert. Nothing of this scale had been seen short of a supernova. If a star had gone supernova, there were colonies that needed to be evacuated. If something had happened, and this was an unpredicted supernova then there was only a matter of months before nearby colonies were hit by the expanding particle shockwave.

This was passed onto the lowers down who would have dispatched an investigator within a week to investigate the phenomenon. The information was stored in an encrypted, secure server deep in the bowels of the alliance infrastructure.

It filtered through to Cerberus a couple of hours later.

The information was analysed again. The same conclusion was reached. An investigation was required, more so for Cerberus, having bases closer to the epicentre of this new supernova.

It was puzzling to all that a star should die, as there were no stars in that region even close to old age.

The information trickled up to the Illusive man, who looked at it, judged it and made a decision.

He called Commander Shepard.

* * *

><p>"Illusive man?" Shepard asked, arms crossed.<p>

"Shepard, we've had something come up. Not to do with the collectors, but equally serious." He took a drink. He keyed in a series of commands on his chair omnitool and brought up an image of a star system, as well as a starmap. "The Harreck system. The alliance just got intel from one of their deep space research buoys that a massive burst of energy engulfed the area. I want you to investigate."

Shepard looked confused, "What does this have to do with my mission?"

"It doesn't, but the exotic particles and dark energy output match that of a supernova. If a star's died on us, we need to know. There are five small colonies that would need to be evacuated. Not to mention a dozen Cerberus outposts."

Shepard coughed "Something tells me you value your research bases more than the colonists"

"Does it matter what i think, Shepard? If you can help millions of colonists on those worlds, then I'm sure you'll agree that it's worth it."

Shepard sighed. She didn't like him, but he had a point. "Send me the coordinates." She said.

"Done," he said. "Good luck to you Shepard." He cut the link

Shepard watched the holo discs descend around her. "Joker set a course for the Harreck system"

"Aye aye commander" came the reply and Shepard set off for the cockpit."

* * *

><p>Hayt woke. He ached all over. He grunted as he felt something give as he tried to sit up.<p>

"Do not strain yourself." Hayt heard the familiar drone of the magos nearby. He saw him to his right, the tech priest wasn't looking at him, instead his gaze was directed at the sky. Wait, the sky?

Hayt looked up, a clear blue sky filled his vision where the vaulted chapel ceiling should be.

"Hakkon?"

"Yes, Hayt?"

"Where's the roof?"

"I have been working on that for the last several hours. I will give you an answer when I have found one."

"Several hours? How long was I out?"

"I only regained consciousness myself only 4.3 hours ago, although my chronometer records approximately 13.9 hours since the engagement with the daemon."

"The daemon. . .did we win?"

The magos paused, "Unknown. We survive however, so at the very least a stalemate."

Hayt grunted as he felt sharp pain shoot up through his spine. It forced him back to the ground.

"I'd stay still if I were you," another voice said.

"My lord?"

"Yes Hayt, I'm here. You took quite a beating. Hakkon says its nothing serious though."

"Thank the Emperor."

"Indeed," Eisenmus said, unsure of how much they should be thanking him at this moment. He saw Hayt's hellgun nearby and carried it over to the prone trooper.

"Here. Can't have you helpless with the eldar skulking about." He handed the rifle to the stormtrooper.

"The eldar, lord? They live?"

"Seems so. They came through with us. They haven't yet initiated hostilities, which makes me think they need something from us."

Hayt considered this, the eldar never did anything without a reason. Even though their actions may seem unpredictable and random, there was always a meaning. Always with their interests alone at its centre.

"Where are they now?" He asked. His mind returning to where it was most confident. There were xenos nearby, that meant military procedure.

"The farseer is lurking just outside the door" Eisenmus pointed to the heavy oaken doors. "The other is gone to try and find out where we are."

"A likely story" Hayt spat.

"Agreed. Which is why we need to keep watch, not only for ourselves." He said, pointing to the artifact.

Hayt managed to turn himself to look at the Sigil of the Pastorii. It stood on its altar, seemingly the only thing untouched by the destruction that had been caused around them.

"The Sigil?" He whispered. "Thank the Emperor."

"Yes, we succeeded in one part at least. The daemon won't be getting its hands on it any time soon. "

Hayt noticed or rather felt something, almost like an unseen glow. He couldn't pinpoint it.

"Lord, is there something different about it?" He asked.

Eisenmus looked at Hayt. The stormtrooper couldn't see it as he could, he had no psychic gift. Eisenmus looked from Hayt to the blinding light of the Sigil. He had to suppress all his psychic sense to look upon it directly, even then, it glowed with golden inner light

"It's the Sigil," he explained. "From my readings on its history, it was given to House Pastorii during the great crusade as a warrant of trade and his authority. Some have theorized that it was something more, precious few of these sigils were given to the explorator houses."

"Something more? Like what?"

"An astronomicus minor" Hakkon said and turned to face the other two.

"What did you say?" Eisenmus said

"The mechanicus have long theorized its purpose, but have been unable to acquire it from the Ecclesiarchy. They have theorized that it acted as a form of temporary astronomican, before the present one had been fully developed."

Looking at its psychic power, Eisenmus could believe it. He turned back to Hakkon. "You only tell me of this now?"

Hakkon's expression was blank, then again it was always blank.

"Lord. There was no need to. They are merely theoretical ideas. It was of no use to us as we assaulted the hive. It was and is a holy relic, it has never displayed any unusual properties until now."

Eisenmus rubbed his head. The magos was right, he had snapped at the magos. "Of course, apologizes Hakkon."

The adept shrugged. "It is of no consequence. However it appears that these theories have more weight to them than before. The mechanicus will be most interested in this new development."

"I suppose you'll want it take to Mars?" Eisenmus asked.

"That is preferable. A discovery of this magnitude is second only to a most sacred STC system."

"Well the day's still young Hakkon." Eisenmus joked.

"Forgive me lord." Hayt said. He coughed. "What are we going to do about the eldar?"

Eisenmus considered this. "We wait and see what happens. They woke before us so if they had wanted us dead they would have done so then. They proved that they fight the daemon as we do, maybe they could be of use."

Hayt shrugged, ever the soldier, "As the Emperor wills, Sir."

* * *

><p>The Normandy dropped back under FTL. The Herreck system was ahead of them. They had come out some distance from the system so as to avoid the worst of the blast. Shepard didn't feel like getting too close to a supernova if she could help it.<p>

She leaned on Joker's chair in the cockpit. They were a distance of a light year out from the system. It was highlighted on the glass in front of them. A tiny pinprick of light amid a swirling sea of other brighter lights.

"There it is, Commander," Joker said zooming in on that area of space. It looked unremarkable. A tiny white dot surrounded by banks if holographic data describing everything about it.

She leaned closer. "I think I'm right in thinking, Joker, that that's not the super massive explosion that marks the end of a star."

"You'd be right commander. Nothing strange here, light spectrum consistent with data. Intensity and luminosity consistent. Nope, nothing's wrong. Oh unless you count those strange particle and dark energy readings we're still getting. Yeah, they're still there."

Her brow furrowed. This was strange, they'd have to go in for a closer look. She didn't like unknowns. Whatever was putting out those readings was still something that should have enough power to blow up a star. She couldn't leave something like that unturned.

"Take us in, Joker. You see anything strange and make ready to pull us out."

"Aye aye commander." Joker said. He punched in the controls and the Normandy zoomed ahead. Its inertial dampeners providing excellent cover against the extreme acceleration forces.

The craft tore through the inner planets, closing in on the inner solar system. The Normandy continued to scan the system for exotic particles.

"Commander, the readings. They originate from the second planet in the system."

"The planet?" Shepard was confused, "what's it called?"

"The second planet of the Herreck system is called Charles' Rock, commander Shepard." EDI piped in." It is an uninhabited world claimed by the systems alliance as part of their colony expansion of the terminus systems. Named after its explorer who mapped the large regions in . . "

"We get the picture EDI, thank you" Shepard waved the AI down. Put a hand on Jokers chair.

"Put us in orbit around Charles' Rock. Whatever's down there, it looks important."

"Aye aye commander." The pilot replied.

* * *

><p>The eldar ranger returned to the ruins. The sun was low, just about to dip below the horizon. She didn't know what else lurked on this world. They would make the journey to the nearby lake tomorrow.<p>

Eleiyra didn't mind. She was a ranger, she was used to living rough in the unknown corners of the galaxy. She didn't approve of Glaedara's opinion on the imperials though.

She remembered back to when her and the farseer had just came to on this planet,

"Why not just kill them?" she had asked. "When they wake they'll turn on us."

The farseer shook her head. "No they won't. Their species fears the unknown. I don't know where we are and neither will they. We are the only known things nearby. The monkeigh won't dare harm us. They'd fear to."

Eleiyra nodded, not understanding but found with the farseer it was easier to give the impression of understanding. "How could you know that though? You said your sight was gone."

The farseer had sighed then, and Eleiyra had felt stupid. "You do not need a second sight to see

what is in front of you Ranger."

"I apologize," she had said. "I did not mean to question your wisdom."

"Think nothing of it." the farseer said. "What I need from you now is to find out if there's any settlements nearby. We need to find out if this planet has other life on it."

"Yes, farseer."

"Go Eleiyra. If nothing else, we completed our quest."

Eleiyra smiled at that. At least that much was true. The daemon had been banished and whatever havoc it was to play on the craftworld over the following millennia was abated.

"I know farseer." with that she had activated her cloak and made off into the wild.

Nine hours of hiking over the landscape had produced no results, aside from a source of water. She stepped into the Monkeigh ruins and deactivated her cloak next to the farseer.

"Ranger," the farseer said without turning, "It is good to see you've returned."

Eleiyra would have to get her to tell her how she did that one day. But she put that to one side for now.

"The sun is almost set." she said, "It would be wise to remain here tonight." she said

"I agree." said Glaedara. "We'll have to tell the monkeigh, we don't want them wandering off. We need to keep them within sight."

The two eldar made their way over to the Imperials, who were loitering on the other side of the ruins. The mechanical one was studying the boundary between rock and grass. The inquisitor saw them approach and stood up to meet them.

"Well?" he asked.

"My ranger has given the opinion that we rest here tonight. The sun is almost set. We do not know what else this world has lying in wait. I agree with her judgement."

The inquisitor considered this. Monkeigh minds. . .thought Glaedara, so obtuse. To her surprise however, he nodded.

"That was my conclusion as well. Emperor knows what the hell's out there, and this sanctum can provide adequate cover from attack from wild beasts. Yes, we stay here tonight."

Glaedara admitted to herself that was easier than expected. She had assumed that the monkeigh would want to immediately charge off in the direction of the lake.

"Best get prepared for the night." he grunted and turned back to his colleagues. "Hakkon, we're going to be spending the night here, so we need a fire. Get to those trees and gather as much wood as you can. Don't delay too long, we want to have it up when darkness hits."

Hakkon bowed his head. "Yes, lord." he turned and slowly started for the treeline.

"Before you go," Eisenmus held up a hand to delay the magos. He edged in closer to magos and spoke in a whispered tone. "What else can you tell me?"

"I have very little to add to my initial investigation, Lord. This section of the chapel was separated from the rest by a perfect shearing force. Aside from warpcraft, I can think of no other capability to accomplish this, lord."

Eisenmus nodded his head, "Alright, anything you find. You tell me."

"But of course, lord." the magos said, resuming his work. The monotonous voice making it impossible to tell whether sarcasm was present in his tone.

* * *

><p>"Anything sticking out to you?" Shepard asked Joker.<p>

The Normandy had been in orbit for several hours. It had been scanning the surface of the planet for any anomalous activity. They had found the source of the strange readings - a seemingly unimportant location in the northern hemisphere.

The measurements from the area were off the charts. Whatever was down there, nothing like it had been seen before. Pumping out all sorts of weird particles, dark energy and everything else the universe would rather keep hidden.

"Aside from the massive freaking particle spike?" Joker replied. "No, not really."

"What's the diagnostic say? Is it safe?"

"The Normandy's scans show that there are no harmful effects or dangerous radiation levels. I would however, advise atmospheric suits for investigation."

"Noted EDI." Shepard keyed in her comm. "Goldstein, prep the shuttle. We're taking a trip to the surface."

"Aye Commander, " came the reply from the hangar.

"Joker, key in those coordinates to the shuttle."

"Yes, commander." he replied and went back to his controls.

Shepard went back through to the CIC. Garrus was standing next to the large central data console, watching the data incoming from the surface. Shepard approached him,

"Anything to add?" she said. The turian looked at her, his bandages still quite fresh from his wound on Omega.

"Not, ergh Not really." he put a hand up to his mandible. "Sorry Shepard, the damn thing doesn't know it's supposed to heal."

Shepard smiled, "It'll realize eventually. Get your gear, we're going down to the planet."

"Expecting trouble down there?"

"Hopefully not. I'm taking the professor as well. He may have some idea what's going on down there."

"Yeah." Garrus said and put down his datapad. "I'll get geared up. "

"Be in the hangar in twenty minutes."

Shepard went into the lab to see the Mordin.

"Shepard!" he saw her enter, "Good of you to come. Very interesting. Large scale energy readings. Dark energy. Have no idea what it could be. Could be a paper in this."

"Get your things, Mordin. We're going down there."

"Down there? Now? Excellent! Hardly time to pack. Will only bring essentials for experimentation."

"You can bring whatever fits in the shuttle." Shepard said making to leave, "Be in the hangar in twenty minutes."

"Yes. Yes Will do Shepard." came the reply. Along with the sounds of the professor stuffing whatever he could fit into a carrying case.

Shepard went into the armoury and retrieved her weapons and armour. Whatever was down there, she didn't want to be unprepared.

* * *

><p>The team arrived at the hangar a short while later. Shepard keyed through to the cockpit, "Joker, we're all ready down here, we good to go?"<p>

"Roger that commander. Preparing to bring the Normandy down on a low pass. We'll drop you off in the upper atmosphere."

"Roger that Joker, take us down." Shepard motioned for her two squadmates to get in. Garrus hopped up on the shuttle followed by the professor. He lugged a heavy bag over his back.

"Hope you didn't forget your weapon, Prof." Garrus said

"Please. STG training. Always prepared, will put you to shame when trouble starts." the professor grinned.

Shepard climbed up after them, "Alright enough chat. Get this thing sealed up and good to go!"

* * *

><p>Hakkon was keeping watch. Unlike the others he did not require sleep as normal humans did. He merely periodically shut down sections of his brain that needed resting, allowing the rest of his body to function normally.<p>

The sun had gone down 5.2 hours ago. Hakkon had busied himself with mapping as much of the night sky as he could, making use of the night as he saw fit. Nearby he could sense through his external sensors the eldar female ranger, also keeping watch while her companion slept.

Hakkon did not trust the eldar. His databanks and programmes displayed dozens of accounts of past eldar treachery. He had kept a low level combat subroutine on standby in case of it.

He wasn't thinking about that now. He was busy observing a meteoroid that had just appeared on his optic sensors. He had been tracking its progress for the last ten minutes, devoting little processing power for such a menial task.

Then an alert brought this little meteor to the top of his tasklist. It had performed a turn forbidden in classical mechanics. Curious, he ran an evaluation on the data he had gathered over the previous few minutes and came to a definite conclusion.

It was changing direction.

Impossible for a meteor or any other astral body. Anything, except the signature of a spacecraft re-entering atmospheric flight. Based on its past velocity and extrapolating, allowing for future course corrections and turns, he concluded that it would land somewhere in their near vicinity.

Exactly where he didn't know. He would require more information. in the meantime, another low level routine told him to alert his fellows, which he agreed with.

The inquisitor and Hayt were sleeping close by. Hayt lay stretched across a wooden pew. One of the few undamaged by the battle. Eisenmus sat in the corner, asleep in his armour. Without the proper removal equipment they could not remove it without damaging the ancient suit.

Hakkon was vehemently opposed to such blasphemy against the spirits that had served him and

his lord with such honour and duty in the battle.

He approached Eisenmus first. "My lord?" he said.

No response.

"My lord?" he asked in a raised tone.

The inquisitor grunted before slowly lifting his head. "Yes, Hakkon?"

"My lord, I apologize for waking you, but I believe a starship is going to make landfall near our present location. I will keep you updated as the situation progresses." Hakkon turned to resume his scanning of the sky when he heard the hiss and whurr of armour sounds behind him.

"Wait, What did you say Hakkon?" the inquisitor was more awake now, and had digested the contents of Hakkon's message.

"I have been tracking a suspicious meteor for the last 20 minutes. I believe it is changing direction which would indicate artificial spaceflight."

Eisenmus nodded, getting up, "Right, you said it's going to land near us?"

"Based on extrapolations from the current path, and given no sudden further changes of direction, I predict it will land somewhere nearby. Where, I cannot say. I need more information, lord."

"When?"

Hakkon did the calculation. "Between four and six hours from now, lord."

Eisenmus looked at Hayt, the soldier was still sleeping, a bandage across his chest. Best let him sleep for now, he thought, I'll wake him up in an hour.

* * *

><p>Eleiyra heard the exchange between the magos and the inquisitor. She had been keeping an eye on the magos since night fell. It had been dull, he had just stood there, his head to the skies, occasionally walking here and there in the room.<p>

She was perched on a cut column near the rear of the room, her cloak field engaged. To all others, she wasn't there. She slid silently down the pole and strode over to the farseer. She was resting near the outer wall, on her knees with her hands clasped over each other in front of her.

She gave the impression of serene restfulness, but Eleiyra knew how quickly she could react to situations in a meditative stance like that.

"Farseer," Eleiyra whispered, deactivating her cloak.

"Yes? Eleiyra?" she replied.

"The monkeigh say they've discovered a ship descending through the atmosphere. The machine one says it will make landfall nearby."

Glaedara's senses heightened at that. A chance to get offworld!

"We must be careful, Eleiyra. They may see this as an opportunity to eliminate us. Keep watch on them, but do not make any hostile actions. ANY" she stressed. "Am I clear?"

"Of course, farseer." Eleiyra grudgingly answered and activated her cloak again.

* * *

><p>Shepard looked outside through the porthole, nothing but the blackness of the night.<p>

"We'll be landing in just over ten minutes." The pilot Goldstein informed them over the comm. Shepard sat back down in her seat. The others were viewing the signal source on their omnitools.

"Strange." Mordin said, expertly flicking the various functions of the holographic map. "Unusual concentrations of silicon and iron compounds present at site. Unable to enhance image. Will need to get closer."

Garrus just stared at his omnitool. "Does anyone else just get really bad vibes from this? I've read about the beacon on Ilos. Are we sure this isn't just another prothean beacon?"

"Relatively confident." Mordin replied, not taking his eyes off his omnitool. "Prothean beacons display much narrower spectrum of dark energy fields. Nor do they exhibit exotic particle formations like this. Could be anomaly." he hypothesized.

"Riiiight. So we just land on top of something that giving out as much power as an exploding star."

"It's not putting out anything harmful" said Shepard, checking her own omnitool. "Besides anything that puts out the power of an exploding star's bound to be of interest to the alliance."

"The Citadel will want their hands on whatever it is." Garrus said.

"Hmph" said Shepard as she watched the map come into focus. The Normandy was coming into scanning sight overhead, bringing its sensors to map the surface.

She heard Joker's voice over the comm. "The drone's in position now commander, starting scan." She saw a green blip representing the deployed drone hovering many miles over the target site. It sent out pulses which mapped the immediate area. These were relayed back to the main computer on the Normandy before transferred through to their omni tools.

A high resolution 3d rendered map of the landing site appeared in her omnitool holographic display. Something caught her eye. She zoomed in on the centre.

"What the hell's that?" She indicated some kind of structure at the epicentre of the strange readings.

"Hmm, most intriguing." Mordin said, his fingers not ceasing in their relentless activity. "Scans indicate ruins of some type. Directly over signal source."

"Prothean?" Shepard asked. She did not want this to turn into another Illos.

He shook his head. "Unlikely. Scans of structure indicate high levels of iron and marble composites inconsistent with prothean ruins. Interesting. Large concentrations of unknown compounds throughout structure. Could be undiscovered civilization."

Shepard's interest peaked. if they weren't prothean, then what were they? When these systems were mapped, no civilizations or advanced life forms had been catalogued for investigation.

She tapped herself through to the shuttle's comm. "Goldstein, land us a couple hundred metres away from the landing site. I don't want anything to come at us unexpectedly when we land."

"Aye commander," came the reply.

* * *

><p>Hayt stood beside the inquisitor and looked up at the sky. Eisenmus had pointed out the offending falling star in the sky. Hayt looked at it. It was now clearly visible, one of the brightest in the sky.<p>

"What's our plan, my lord?" he asked.

"Lord. . ." Hakkon interrupted. "I have completed a more detailed examination of the vessel. It is small, likely a drop pod or shuttlecraft."

The inquisitor nodded, at least that was good news. "If it's a small craft, we're in with more of a chance of defence if they're hostile. Which we have to presume they are." He made his way over to the rubble and retrieved a long wooden bench from under a pile of rock. He positioned it in front of the door.

"We assemble a defence here." he said. He marked the area which he meant. "If they aren't hostile we can maybe bargain our way offworld but we have to be prepared for the inevitable."

"Hakkon, can you tell if it's imperial?" Hayt asked. He was standing up, one hand clasping his side.

His face a grimace of pain.

"It is too far away to make out any insignia or silhouette identification. As it gets closer I shall update you."

The remains of their fire was still smouldering in the middle of the room, only a few logs were left burning. Out of the shadows around it, the eldar appeared.

"What of us?" the farseer asked. The ranger behind her. The imperials jumped at their sudden appearance. .

"Throne, Xenos! Don't do that!" Hayt exclaimed. Lowering his weapon but keeping it ready in case of treachery.

"What do you know of the craft?" Eisenmus asked, finding it suspicious that they approached the imperials at this time.

"It is not of eldar origin. I would have sensed their presence by now." the farseer replied.

Eisenmus considered this. There were two possibilities to what the eldar had said. If she was telling the truth, then there was a higher chance of it being imperial. However if the eldar was lying, then they could be facing eldar reinforcements and betrayal. Both were equally likely.

"I don't want you two wandering off anywhere." he said. "I've seen enough of eldar treachery to know you're probably lying and you're just waiting for your friends to arrive and finish us off. You two stay here, where we can see you, and we'll do the same."

Glaedara was frustrated. Could this dense monkeigh not see she was telling the truth?

"I am not lying monkeigh!" she snapped. "If they were Eldar, surely you would have been able to sense them as well?"

Eisenmus considered this, and reached out with his mind. He tried in desperation to keep the Sigil's blinding psychic light out of his mind. It was exceptionally difficult. He could sense nothing untoward about the new arrival. But that could just be the Sigil blinding his vision.

He brought his consciousness back into his body.

"I'm still not convinced, Xenos. Until we figure out what this is, we stay within sight of each other."

The farseer sighed, it didn't really matter to her what they did but this argument with the monkeigh was really not worth the effort. "Very well. My ranger will take position on that column" she pointed. "She'll be able to track it as it comes in."

Eisenmus looked, he admitted inwardly that'd be useful, but he wasn't going to let the Eldar know that. "Agreed. But she stays visible."

"Very well." the farseer snapped and nodded her head to the ranger. The ranger then leaped onto a pile of rubble behind her, onto the column in the room and dashed up it to the top, where she crouched and stood still, like a watchful cat.

Eisenmus shrugged and went back to preparing a defensible position around the ruins.

* * *

><p>The shuttle landed down near some trees. Goldstein's excellent piloting ability made sure that it was only lightly scratched.<p>

Shepard and her team moved out of the transport.

"Area clear" Garrus said over the comm.

"Acknowledged." Shepard said. Her visor piercing the darkness of the landing site. All around them, a forest. The shuttle had set down with as little noise as it could, but there would be no masking the engine flare in this darkness. If anyone was looking, there'd have seen them.

That's if there was anyone to look. The planet had looked deserted from orbit. It had never been colonized or any permanent settlement set up.

So why did Shepard have that feeling?

"Garrus, Mordin? Stay close I got a feeling about this."

"Preparing for a crapfest, Shepard." Garrus replied.

"Just keep on your toes, all right?" Her breath misted in the cold, dark air

The team ventured out from the landing site. They edged towards the source of the strange readings. The forest closed around them, highlighting any noise or movement they made. Despite her night holo-visor, she felt uneasy.

The group emerged from the dense foliage to the treeline. Shepard ordered a halt and regroup. Her squad formed on her.

"What do you think?" she whispered as they surveyed the area in front of them.

They stood at the edge of the treeline. The terrain sloped down in front of them before rising, creating a shallow valley. The valley sides were littered with rocks and detritus from when some long forgotten glacier tore through the area.

What interested them though, were the odd ruins partly up the other side of the valley. From here the structure looked like a sphere, with the widest circumference at ground level. Pillars and walls rose in curved height towards the centre. The entire layout was about a hundred metres in diameter.

In one of the inner areas, open to the sky, she could see a flickering light emerging from within. Someone was having a camp out.

"No one's supposed to be here." Garrus replied, " My money's on smugglers. Nice, quiet planet to stash your goods on. Nice landmark to let you find the right spot again."

"Could be slavers." Shepard replied.

Garrus shook his head, " Unlikely. Why would slavers come to somewhere where there's no one to capture?"

He had a point there. She turned to Mordin. "Any thoughts?"

"Advise caution. Unknowns could be after source of readings, like us. Or could be smugglers. Either way, went through lot of effort to stay quiet. Unlikely to welcome unwanted guests."

Shepard nodded. Who ever they were, they probably weren't expecting someone knocking at midnight. They'd have to be careful.

"Ok, here's the plan. Mordin, you follow me, we're getting in for a closer look. Garrus, work your way up the treeline and get a better angle. Call us when you're in position. Until then, radio silence."

"Sure thing, Shepard. Moving." Garrus got up and began edging up the treeline to a higher vantage point. Shepard gestured silently to Mordin that they slowly make their way down the valley side and take cover among the rocks. They would not engage until they received the ready call from Garrus.

Mordin nodded and the two made their way down through the darkness. The absolute quiet of night surrounding them.

* * *

><p>The ruins party had seen the craft land, only a couple hundred metres to the east. The xenos ranger said she saw it set down in a nearby woodland. That confirmed that whoever was piloting it, they were heading for them.<p>

Hakkon confirmed that it wasn't imperial. Nor was it anything he recognised, too boxy and bulky for a tau or eldar craft, but too well built for an ork construction.

The group waited tensely. The ruins around them were the only cover they had in the valley. To go outside now was tactical suicide. They didn't know anything about the land nor any information on the strength or location of the enemy deployments. No, it was the enemy's move

now.

Eisenmus stood next to Hakkon. He could hear the faint hum of his mechanical lifeforce. "Anything, Magos?" He asked

"Not yet, Lord. My sensor suites are hampered by interference," his mechanical head turned towards the Sigil. "I am in consultation with the sensor spirits to filter out the waste noise. But that takes time."

Eisenmus nodded. He didn't like this.

* * *

><p>Shepard and Mordin approached the ruins in the darkness. As they got closer they noticed more and more oddities. The edge of the ruins was completely circular and the floor levels weren't in agreement with ground level. She saw a half underground section of floor, another section dug into the landscape to the rear.<p>

The real fascination of these ruins, was their ornamentation. Rich, gothic decoration covered much of the structure. Shepard had only seen stuff like that on old cathedrals back on earth. How an ancient human architecture came to be on this planet she had no idea.

She looked over to Mordin. His eyes absorbing everything about the structure. He looked like he was almost in pain from the silence she'd enforced.

The pair made their way slowly up to a massive set of timber doors, carved with the most exquisite reliefs and carvings Shepard had seen in her life. Her comm sprang to life.

"In position." Was all that came through from the turian. Shepard acknowledged. It was time to see who's home.

She struck the massive door with her fist three times. They were probably smugglers, she didn't really care what they were smuggling. Most smugglers generally weren't in the habit of dying for their goods. She figured if they left peacefully, they could take their cargo with them for all she cared.

"Hello? Anyone in there?" she yelled. She knocked again, no response. She keyed in her comm.

"Garrus, you with me?"

"With you, Shepard, can't see anything from up here. The walls are too high."

Then, from inside the ruins a voice rang out.

"This is Inquisitor Eisenmus. Identify yourselves!" The voice was male, Shepard didn't recognise the accent however.

This was unexpected. Shepard looked to Mordin, "You hear that?"

"Indeed. Unexpected development. Don't sound like smugglers. . . Interesting."

Shepard turned back to the door. "I'm Commander Shepard of the Systems Alliance! I don't mean any harm."

A pause from behind the door. "Are you imperial?" came the reply.

"Uhh, what do you mean Imperial?" Shepard responded.

Another pause, longer.

"Are you a rogue trader?"

This was getting weird, "Uh, no I don't think so. Can I open the door?"

Another pause, the longest yet. A minute passed.

"Remain where you are. I am sending someone to open the door."

Shepard could hear muffled footsteps on the other side. Something metal clinked against metal. With a great groan of tortured timber, the great slab of wooden art began to slowly glide open.

* * *

><p>The door swung open. A sight Shepard did not expect greeted her.<p>

Four figures stood facing them. Three looked male, one female. One of the males had his gun pointed in their direction. Behind the figures, a large roaring fire raged.

They were as different from each other as could be. The one on the far left wore a series of heavy red robes, they flapped in the light breeze. Some sort of mechanical face plate covered his face. Where his eyes should be, a grotesque spider like visage of red orbs gleamed with menace in the dark.

The second was a giant human. If it wasn't for the exposed head Shepard would have easily mistaken him for a mech of some sort. He towered over the rest of the group, his armour almost the mass closer to the mass of a YMIR mech than a person. His face was human. An ageing man of 55, maybe 60 years old, Shepard guessed. With a neat trimmed beard and silver, cropped back hair.

The third in line was a man in bulky combat armour. Somewhat similar to Shepard's except much more boxy and angular in design. It looked unwieldy, much like his weapon, which, compared to

Shepard's rifle, looked far too large to be effective. It was also pointed at her. Most of his features obscured by a helmet that covered his face. Shepard noticed he was hunched over, one of his hands grasping his midsection. Was he wounded?

Then, the strangest of all, to the far right. A tall, slim female in a ridiculously ornate set of blue and silver armour. Her oblong helmet obscured her face. Shepard's glanced to the woman's side. She carried what looked like a spear.

* * *

><p>Eisenmus watched the woman enter through the door. She wore some kind of armour he wasn't familiar with. It looked like some kind of light scout armour. Somewhat small in stature she. . .<p>

"My Lord!" Hayt shouted, "Xenos!"

His attention snapped round to where Hayt was pointing. A small, amphibian like alien with bulbous eyes followed the woman. It wore similar clothes to the human, which Eisenmus found concerning.

Hayt brought his weapon up to the xenos creature. The woman and the alien pointed theirs back at Hayt.

"Put that down! PUT THAT DOWN!" the woman was yelling at Hayt, who was yelling back at the xenos, which looked incredibly confused at the whole thing.

Eisenmus thought fast. This xenos was a disturbing turn. He thought this human was merely an outcast or backward heretic but now she was guilty of xenos collusion. This would not stand.

However…

This woman was their only chance off this rock. Xeno or no xeno that wouldn't change. Whatever ship flew overhead they hadn't recognised it, and likely would have no idea how to pilot it.

This heretic was their only hope.

The throne-damned daemon's laughing at us from the warp, Eisenmus thought. He made his way to stand in front of Hayt. His footsteps echoing off the surfaces around them.

He looked down to his sergeant. "Hayt, stand down." He gently lowered the sergeant's weapon with an oversized gauntlet. Hayt hesitated, but obeyed. He was too much of a soldier not to follow a direct order.

As his sergeant lowered his weapon so too did the newcomer. Good, progress.

Eisenmus turned back to the new arrivals. The xenos disturbed him greatly.

"Apologizes." He almost choked on the words. The very concept of apologizing to a heretical xenos colluder was unthinkable.

The woman stayed silent for a brief moment before holstering her weapon by her side.

"Accepted. Now would you mind telling me who the hell you lot are?" Shepard looked at the assembled group. The machine man and the spear woman hadn't moved in the whole exchange, they just stood there… watching.

The huge armoured man turned to face her. His armour was one of the most astonishingly detailed things Shepard had seen. Intricate lines of script wound in tight patterns, golden adornments and symbols decorated every surface. What looked like religious icons hung from his waist, along with a large book, bound in leather on a silver chain. Most prominent was a metallic stylized I engraved on his chest plate.

He spoke, his voice took on that of liquid silver.

"My name is Inquisitor Eisenmus. My team and I," he gestured to the two other men, " were on a high priority mission for the Inquisition. I can divulge no more information on that subject. However at the conclusion of the mission, something happened. Something that I don't know the exact nature of, that cast us here," he looked around him, "Along with part of our surroundings."

Shepard put her hand up "Wait, the inquisition? What's that?"

"The supreme authority in the galaxy." he replied. "If you don't know of the Imperium, you wouldn't know of the inquisition."

"Are you human?" Shepard asked, even more confused, "you look human to me."

The man smiled, "Yes, I and my two companions are human." he pointed over to the woman on the right. "The other two are eldar."

Shepard looked over at the woman, "You said two? Where's the other one?"

The woman in the ornate armour said something Shepard couldn't understand and another woman, this one draped in layers of camouflage, appeared out of thin air beside the first. She carried a smooth long rifle of sorts, her helmeted expression as blank as her comrade's

Shepard blinked, she was about to speak before the giant interrupted.

"Forgive me for cutting straight to the point but we desperately require transport off this planet." he smiled. "We would be immensely grateful if you could help us."

"Your ship get damaged on the way down?" Shepard asked

The giant chuckled, "No, we don't have a ship"

"But, then how did… " she trailed off. The giant had held up his hand.

He looked at her, "That is a question, Commander Shepard, that we would like to find out."


	2. Deals with heretics

_Thanks for reviews, they've been very helpful. Have fixed (hopefully) all spelling and grammatical errors, a couple of probably still slipped through though._

_Am being conservative and looking at fortnightly updates for this, the speed of this update was only because a good portion of it was written alongside the first chapter._

_But anyways, chapter two. . ._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Two: Deals with Heretics<strong>

Farseer watched the two monkeigh converse. It irked her slightly to see that this newcomer was human, and for a moment she had been prepared to take action if she proved hostile.

She saw the human female glanced her way before asking another question to the inquisitor.

But this one was different, the farseer thought. She didn't immediately recoil at her presence, nor did she barb every word with venomous malice when she spoke. Indeed, in the brief spat between the two groups, the imperials had made fools of themselves with their ridiculous violent xenophobia.

Speaking of which,

Glaedara glanced over to the bug type creature. She studied it. She had never seen its like before. This didn't bother her much, there were countless alien species trying to eke out a miserable niche in the galaxy.

But what interested her was how this new alien and the monkeigh female seemed to be working together. It was this that had stayed Glaedara's spearhand. This monkeigh couldn't possibly be a slave of the monkeigh-seer's Imperium. Not with an alien accomplice. Glaedara dared to hope this might be a positive thing for the two eldar. The existence of these monkeigh working together would mean they were far from imperial authority. These were people with whom a bargain could possibly be struck.

She looked back at the inquisitor. That's if the Imperials don't fuck it up.

The farseer noted with amusement the strained look on the monkeigh Inquisitor's face. His frequent glances to the alien behind Shepard betrayed the source of his concern. She found the laughing god's work in this. The Imperials being forced to barter for their lives with those they would have blindly destroyed in another situation.

It then seemed the two humans were done talking. The female left the monkeigh and walked over to her.

She stopped before the farseer, hands on hips. Like a upstart child, thought Glaedara.

"So, you're the elders are you?" The female said. Glaedara despaired inwardly at the butchering of the name.

"Yes, we are eldar." She replied. Surprised at the similarity between the newcomer's language and that of the imperial monkeigh.

"Right, eldar, sorry." She replied, she looked round to the three imperials, who were in deep discussion with themselves. "Are you part of his team?"

She pointed to Eisenmus in his power armour.

Centuries of the path had taught Glaedara to suppress her emotion. To control it, which she did. If she hadn't however there would have been something akin to shocked annoyance running across the face if the farseer.

"No, no we are not." She said, trying to keep her voice as level as possible. Typical monkeigh arrogance, they assume since he's the biggest brute that he's the leader. "We worked with them on a mutual problem. That problem has been taken care of now."

Shepard nodded along to her. The woman's voice was like a liquid music flowing over her ears. The pitch and tempo of each syllable combining gracefully with its neighbours to produce a delightful symphony of sound.

The song ended. Shepard felt deflated at the loss.

"Do you need a ride as well? Or do you have your own means of transport." Shepard asked, her eyes studying the eldar's armour.

This woman's outfit was completely ridiculous, she thought. It had the detail and finery more suited to a ballroom gown than a practical outfit. Shepard saw a form fitting, fully enclosed armour protect her body from head to toe. She recognised heavier segments of armour protecting the shoulders and chest. Strange, vaguely glowing deep red stones were embedded within it.

Flowing around her, gliding gently in the breeze, was a cloak of deepest blue with silver finery. The detail was breathtaking. Her entire armour conformed to the colour scheme. Silver detail on deep blue background. Symbols and diagrams criss crossed her form and what looked to Shepard like jewelry and trinkets hung from her waist, clasped to her slender body by a thick band of cloth around her midriff.

And finally, a blank faced helmet of equal craftsmanship and finery obscured her face from view. Shepard felt unease at being scrutinised by those eerie, dark blue eye slits.

"We would be grateful if you could provide us with transport." Glaedara replied, noticing the looks this monkeigh was giving her armour. She then remembered she was dealing with a human and added, "I have several items that I'm sure will compensate you."

Shepard threw up her arms at that. "That won't be necessary." she smiled, "I can't just leave you stranded on an empty planet."

This caught Glaedara off guard. Humans were notorious for being selfish creatures, quick to jump to profit and greedy for wealth and trinkets. The farseer nodded her head to this woman in gratitude.

"You have our thanks, human."

Shepard smiled back up at the faceplate. "Happy to help. Just out of curiosity, just where are you two from? I've never heard of the eldar before."

The faceplate seemed uncomfortable. "We'll be willing to tell you what we know when we're off this planet." the farseer said.

Shepard considered this. It was normally a bad idea to pick up strangers who wouldn't tell you their story.

She looked around her. But then this isn't normal. She couldn't leave them either, there were too many questions. Who? When? How? She'd have to inform her team to be extra cautious. Something in her gut told her that things could go sour for someone unprepared who started asking too many awkward questions around this lot.

* * *

><p>The imperials gathered together. They needed to discuss this new development.<p>

"My lord, this is wrong. Emperor's throne, we're to throw in out lot with xeno colluders?" Hayt protested. Any other person speaking like that to an inquisitor would have probably been executed, but Eisenmus needed questioning minds in his entourage, not yes men.

"I agree Hayt. By Terra, I agree with you. But our situation is dire."

The stormtroopers jaw clenched, he retorted.

"Yes, but we've been through worse!"

"Please cite reference," Hakkon replied.

Hayt paused for a moment "Shit, I can't think of anything right now, but Throne, you know we have."

Eisenmus was thinking. This was a distasteful course, that easily led to heretical radicalism. He glanced over at the bug xeno, who remained by the door. He who enlists the aid of xenos, enlists his own damnation. .

He turned back to his colleagues,

"Hakkon." he asked, "What would be the view of the mechanicus?"

The Magos' head twitched slightly in response to the questioning. "Mechanicus view on the aid of xenos; horribilis magnus." he paused. " . . . .With exemption clause; in extremis, lord."

Eisenmus nodded slowly. He wasn't comforted by the conclusion, despite the Magos' agreement with his own.

A light caught the corner of his eye. He lifted his head. It was the sigil, still illuminating the inner sanctum and surrounding area in pure psychic power.

A realisation swept over him, one he hadn't noticed or questioned before. It couldn't be coincidence. . .

"The Emperor protects. . ." Eisenmus whispered, looking at the sigil.

"Sorry, my lord?" Hayt asked.

He nodded to the sigil, the others looked.

"The universe consists of an overwhelming amount of nothing." he began, "If a single grain of rubble on this floor here," he pointed down, " represented a star in the void, its closest neighbouring grain would be somewhere around four kms away."

Hayt nodded, following. Hakkon merely stared at the Inquisitor.

Eisenmus continued, his argument gathering up steam. Why hadn't he realised this before?

"Warp travel is unreliable at the best of times, sending its travellers anywhere it pleases. He scraped his boot on the ground, displacing a few pebbles and rubble. "The galaxy is almost entirely airless vacuum, cold and dead. The rest is swirling balls of hydrogen, with a tiny fraction being rocks flying through the cosmos where we build our cities."

He reached down and scooped up a scrap of debris and dust. He let it fall through his large gauntlet, it fell to the ground.

"The very idea that we happened to emerge from the warp, unscathed, on a tiny planet, a habitable planet at that, by coincidence is laughable." the last of the dust fell through his hand.

"By probabilities, we should be dead. Frozen in the lifeless void or engulfed by a star's plasma." He paused. "Yet here we are, on the ground of this planet. If we appeared only a kilometre up or down from here that'd be the end of us." he looked to his colleagues, "I see only one conclusion."

"Throne" Hayt managed. He made the sign of the aquila.

"I believe that the Emperor's work is present here." Eisenmus said, "the chances of coincidence are infinitesimally small. He protected us, the Emperor wants us to survive." He decided to bring his train of thought to a conclusion.

He looked at Hakkon again. Who merely nodded and made the sign of the Omnissiah.

"I believe he's brought us this far, gentlemen. I trust his guidance."

Hayt nodded. "I agree my lord, the evidence. . ."

Eisenmus held out his hand, palm up. "We did his work in banishing the daemon, Hayt. Perhaps He noticed."

Hayt nodded, he felt his doubts vanish. This was the Emperor's will. How could it not be?

Yes. This was correct. He would not let the golden throne down.

He looked back up to Eisenmus "Your orders, my lord?" he asked. All doubt gone from his voice, ready to do His righteous work once again.

Eisenmus smiled, hearing the tone. "Now, stormtrooper Kirion Hayt, we get off this rock."

* * *

><p>Shepard headed back to Mordin after finishing talking to the two Eldar women. She found him still standing by the door, research bag in hand.<p>

"Shaken up by the showdown?" she asked, she needed him focused.

He began pacing to and fro as he started speaking, as if his words demanded action,

"Pfft. Please. Used to having weapon pointed at me at STG. Shocked not at life being threatened, but at newcomers. After . . brash initial contact decided I should stay back, keep distance. Been observing, learning much, " he breathed in, "understand little, however."

Shepard grunted, "You me both prof." She keyed in her comm. "Garrus you hear me?"

"I hear you, shepard. You need assistance?"

"No, nothing like that. Just get down here. I'm calling Goldstein in to bring the shuttle closer." She looked back over to the newcomers. "Besides you need to say hi to our new friends."

"New friends?" Shepard swore she heard a static distorted sigh, "Remember our chat about talking to strangers, Shepard?"

"Just get down here."

"On my way Shepard."

Shepard keyed into another channel.

"Goldstein, you there?"

"Right here commander, you need a pick up?"

"Not yet, just bring the shuttle close to the ruins. I saw a flat piece of land to the north."

"Aye aye, bringing it in Shepard."

Shepard cut the comm and looked back to Mordin.

* * *

><p>The eldar ranger was tense. She didn't like company. "Farseer?" she asked.<p>

She stood beside her farseer, having been advised not to activate her cloak as a measure of good faith to these new arrivals.

The farseer responded using her inner voice. Good, they wouldn't have to have this discussion for the prying ears of the monkeigh.

"Yes, Eleiyra?" came a voice resonating clearly but quietly in the ranger's mind.

"What is that creature?" Eleiyra responded mentally. Glaedara knew which one her ranger meant, the bug type one standing near the entrance.

"I do not know, ranger. I've never seen its like before."

The ranger turned her head to look at it. She was a ranger, she has seen many things in her travels, but this alien was not one of them.

"This may mean we are far from imperial space. Though still be on your guard." Glaedara warned, "We know nothing of these newcomers."

Eleiyra had been intrigued by the female monkeigh. She displayed confidence that came with command, yet did not have the arrogance that captains and leaders of the imperial host were infested with.

Eleiyra would watch this one carefully.

* * *

><p>Eld-AAR?" Miranda repeated, confused.<p>

"Yeah," came the reply from Shepard. "Find me everything you can on a species or organization called the Eldar."

"I don't understand Shepard." Miranda said. She heard a sigh from the other end of the line.

"Neither do I. Just trawl the databases and give me anything you can find."

A voice popped into their conversation,

"Shepard, if I may. I would be able to recover the necessary data much quicker than agent Lawson. I would happy to be of assistance to you."

Shepard paused. The AI was listening on them? She wasn't sure how she felt about that.

"Fine" she relented. " But you search as well, Miranda. You're human and have common sense, besides I don't trust that AI." Shepard remembered the recent shock of finding out HER ship was essentially run by a computer algorithm. It just didn't seem right to shepard. Ships should have a crew, not a hard drive.

"Of course Shepard, " Miranda replied.

* * *

><p>After talking to the Normandy, Shepard approached the giant again. he was talking to his fellows, upon seeing her approach he turned to her. Shepard heard whirring and hissing as he shifted his massive bulk. Just what sort of machinery does that suit contain, she wondered?<p>

"I've just spoken to the Normandy. They're prepared to receive us anytime."

The man nodded, "The Normandy? Is that the name of your ship?"

"That's right. It's in low orbit but we'll bring you up by shuttle." As she said that she noticed his bulk, as well as the bulk of the machine-man, ". . . may take a couple of trips though." she added.

The giant smiled back to her. In just that moment Shepard was struck by his eyes. A pure steely grey. "My entourage and I are in your debt, Commander Shepard. I do not know how we would have gotten off this planet without your help."

The engine whine of the kodiak shuttle screamed overhead. It hovered gracefully over the section of ruins as it made its way to the landing area, its downward jets creating a massive downwash of wind. Dust flew over them as it slowed down to the ground. It impacted the ground with a thud. Eventually the noise subsided.

"Looks like our ride's here." Shepard said."

"Shepard!" came a hurried voice. It was the prof. " Request to go on second run. So much research potential here. Strange readings, anomalous particles. Must take samples, need time."

Eisenmus had limits. He had tolerated the xeno to live, for he needed to elicit its commander's aid in getting off the planet. He had tolerated the eldar, for they had helped banish the daemon and ultimately saved billions of imperial lives on Agrippa. He had tolerated xenos collusion, heresy, treason and invasion of the Emperor's holy sanctum by the enemy of mankind.

But he would not, NOT! allow this filth to desecrate one of the holiest sites to His glorious majesty.

He scowled at the xeno, "You will do no such heresy here." he barked. "This is one of the most sacred sites to the Emperor. I have been patient with you, xeno. But even I have limits. You will not defile this holy sanctum!"

The creature blinked, expression blank.

The Shepard woman wheeled round on him, injecting herself between him and the alien.

"I don't give a crap whether this place is holy to you or not, you do not talk to my team that way! Understand?"

Eisenmus glared at the small woman standing in front of him. The small, red headed, heretical obstacle standing between him and the xeno.

"Understand?" she repeated. Her eyes bore into his. She had to tilt her head upwards to stare into them.

Behind her, the xeno remained still.

Eisenmus hesitated. A thought tumbled over and over in his mind, the only thing stopping him from dispensing the Emperor's Righteous Justice here and now.

He. Needed. Her. Ship.

Despite this, he felt his body tense. He looked down to the woman. An auto targeting reticule registered his heightened vital signs and activated on his neural implant, highlighting both Shepard and the xeno as targets as well as reading their base vital signs.

He. Needed .Her. Ship.

He unclenched a fist he didn't know he had bunched, and backed down.

"Yes. .Yes I do." he saw the woman relax as well. "Now you understand. This place holds immeasurable value to not only me and my entourage, but to billions of people of Agrippa and beyond. I must insist. Any disruption of anything here is unforgivable sacrilege."

A pause, "Strange . . " she replied. "I wouldn't have taken you for religious." she turned back to Mordin. "Lay off on the experiments, doc. We'll find you something else."

Mordin deflated. "Yes, Shepard." He closed his bag.

"My lord?" Hayt's voice sounded behind the inquisitor.

"Yes, Hayt?" the giant replied.

"My lord, what about the Sigil? We can't just leave it here!" the man was pointing at the thing on the altar. Shepard couldn't make out the detail from this distance, it looked vaguely square.

The inquisitor nodded his head. " I agree Hayt. Shepard, do you have any cloth with you? Towels, blankets, that sort of thing?"

Shepard's brow furrowed, " Uhh, i think there's some emergency blankets back in the shuttle. Mordin could you go see what you can find?"

"Yes, Shepard." the alien hurried off in the direction of the shuttle.

The shuttle! That reminded Shepard.

"As for the shuttles," she said to Eisenmus. "I suggest you and that Eldar woman." she pointed to the farseer. "You two seem like the leaders of your parties, so you take the first with the others of my team. Your man there looks like he needs to get some stuff organized so he can go on the second with me."

Eisenmus considered this. "What about Hakkon, and the other eldar?"

"They go with me, on the second trip." She looked over to the red robed machine. "I'm not sure the shuttle has enough lift to take you both on the same flight"

"That is. . acceptable, Shepard." the man bowed his head. "Once again, I am thankful for your assistance."

Shepard shrugged, she saw Mordin return through the entranceway. He approached the group.

"Emergency blankets. Taken from shuttle, not sure of what purpose. Hope they'll be of use, though." he smiled as he offered the blankets to the imperials. Hayt hesitantly outstretched his hands and took it from the salarian. Mordin nodded to him. Hayt warily nodded back.

"Right," she said to Eisenmus "Get everything you need packed up and on the shuttle, I want it off here in five minutes. You too, Mordin. Get your gear on the shuttle."

The salarian merely nodded and sped off to collect his things.

"I'll tell the Eldar women." Shepard said.

"Yes, " Eisenmus agreed. He began to walk to the shuttle before stopping.

"I would advise caution around them Shepard." his face serious. "Eldar are not always as they seem." with that he resumed making his way to the shuttle.

* * *

><p>Location: Kodiak shuttle, during first passenger trip from Charles' Rock to Normandy<p>

Glaedara was uncomfortably and unceremoniously jostled about to and fro in her harness. This primitive monkeigh shuttle barely able to grasp the basics of atmospheric flight.

Her senses felt the hard metal around her. She felt empty travelling in it. She was used to the sensitive wraithbone hulls of Eldar craft. There she could listen in and hear the whispers and echoes of the ancient elders of the craftworld, long since passed into the very soul of the ship.

A large vibration veered her sharply to the left.

This was insulting.

She stopped that train of thought before it started, nothing useful would come of it. She relaxed her breathing and let her mind dwell on the previous day's events. The rough shaking and trembling of the monkeigh ship growing duller as her true vision retreated deep within her mind, far from the outside world.

The daemon, she thought, the daemon was gone, of that she was sure.

Under her helmet she felt herself smile a little.

Yes, something to be happy about.

She reigned in that emotion before she allowed it to spread any further, already she felt the swellings of delight at the thought of the daemon's demise rise within her. The path was stringent about such things.

The smile disappeared.

She had been correct about the monkeigh. Deprived of purpose, they dared not kill the only thing that linked them to reality - the two eldar. They were like children, in a small way.

She looked at the Inquisitor through her helmet, ignoring the data feeding from her armour's systems and soul circuits. He sat beside the closed entrance, his armour a gross exaggerated deformity of the monkeigh form. Draped with inelegant patterns and crude parchments to their seer-emperor. He was looking ahead of him, probably musing over recent events, just as she was.

Recent events. .now they were interesting. She hadn't before seen the amphibian species, or the avian one. More surprisingly her pathfinder knew nothing of them either. Still, it was a large galaxy. . . .With fewer and fewer of us left to live in it, her mind added..

A small porthole window beside her displayed the pure blackness of the void. The shuttle was in the final stages of transit towards the Normandy. She didn't need it, her mind was gazing out beyond the thin metal case of the shuttle, looking into the void with unseen eyes.

These eyes spotted, or rather felt, a vessel in the void. She turned towards it and examined it.

It was tiny. A sleek needle in the pitch dark. Blue engine exhaust flared towards its rear. Illuminated by the system's sun was crude Monkeigh script plastered brazenly across its hull

SR-2 NORMANDY

* * *

><p>Shepard observed Hayt with fascination. The almost mystical reverence with which he carried out his task.<p>

Eisenmus has told her that this had been a church, or sanctum, whatever. Shepard wasn't one for religion. She and Hayt stood near the end of the hall. Looking up she could see the bottom half of a beautiful stained glass window. A figure had stood in the centre, but she could only see golden, armoured legs on a brilliant multi coloured background.

The altar was about a metre high, sitting in the centre of a pedestal of ascending stone steps. Having had the time to fully study her surroundings, Shepard saw the devastation that had been inflicted on this place. Holes the size of her head had been punched into the surrounding walls with alarming frequency. The place was riddled with spent bullet casings and burn marks. The most worrying thing, was the distressingly large amount of dried blood that stained the black and white marble floor.

"Emperor forgive the desecration of his holy place. . "

The mumblings brought her attention back to Hayt. The man had removed his helmet to reveal a ruggedly handsome face. Shepard had been surprised when he first took it off. She had expected a grizzled war veteran with dozens of scars.

Well, ok, she'd got that part right. Hayt had scars, several of them. But they didn't take away from his looks, the imperfections created by them only served to enhance the rest of his features.

And there he stood, head bowed, one of the shuttle's emergency blankets draped almost ceremoniously over both hands, facing the altar. He was silently mouthing something, his eyes were closed. A prayer? Shepard guessed.

She looked at the sigil, as they called it. It was about a foot in height by just short that wide. Rectangular in shape, it looked like a dark slab of stone with a picture of a two headed eagle on the front. In each of its talons it clasped a thunderbolt. Above everything, near the top edge of the sigil was what Shepard thought was a symbol for an eye.

"I seek to preserve thy holy works. . ." Hayt continued as he slowly wrapped the blanket around the stone, taking great care with each pass. Then, with the care a mother would show her babe, he tilted it off its pedestal and clasped it in his arms. He finished wrapping it in his arms.

* * *

><p>Shuttle and mothercraft slowed as they sought to match speeds. The shuttle gracefully entered the Normandy's main hangar bay. Jets flaring on the final approach, it crossed the threshold. The hangar bay door swung silently closed behind it. The craft slowly touched down on the hangar floor.<p>

Slowly, sound returned to the hangar as it re pressurised. When the lights turned green, the shuttle doors opened and the team exited. For a pair of them, into a strange new world.

Eisenmus stepped out of the cramped shuttle onto the Normandy. They had landed in a small hangar bay. Eisenmus had meditated throughout the journey. He found it helped him take his mind off sharing the shuttle with the farseer and the other aliens of this Shepard's crew.

The farseer strode out behind him, she didn't say a word. She looked around the hangar.

Eisenmus looked too, it was small, utilitarian. Bare metal surfaces everywhere. Cargo and crates were strapped down nearby. To his left was an armoured vehicle of some sort. He concluded from the lack of wheels or treads that it must be hover based.

It bore similar design lines and features to those utilised by the xenos tau. He made a mental note of that, if these people had contact with the tau, then they couldn't be that far from imperial space.

The bird like xenos was staring at him. Eisenmus felt uncomfortable.

"Yes?" he asked it.

"You recognise it?" the bird alien responded. It probably noticed him studying the tank.

"Maybe." he grunted. " What's it called?"

"A hammerhead."

Hammerhead? Eisenmus wondered. It didn't look like the gunship employed by the Tau, but the name was unmistakable. Likely a lighter model or new variant, so they do have tau connections, he mused . .

The bird xeno watched him for a second longer, then shrugged and walked to the exit.

"Everybody out of the hangar!" a mechanical voice rang over a speaker system. "The shuttle needs to be away for the second group."

Eisenmus looked up and saw a man standing behind an observation window. His skin was dark and he was wearing what looked like a military uniform. Good, a fellow human at least.

He walked to the hangar entrance. Every step sent a large clang around the metallic hangar.

He was the last one out. He walked through the hangar airlock and the door slid shut behind him. He heard the whoosh of depressurization from the other side.

The farseer stood by the wall on his left, in front of him a very attractive woman stood holding a datapad. Throne! he thought, as his eyes wandered of their own accord. What kind of uniform was that? It looked like something more suitable for the pleasure houses than the military.

The woman looked up to him, his armour making it so she only reached up to his chin.

"You must be Eisenmus." she said matter of fact. "Shepard said you'd be coming aboard."

He nodded. " That's correct, and you are?"

"Miranda Lawson, ship's XO. " she wasn't speaking to his face, instead distracted by his armour. She recovered.

"Shepard's told me to take you both to the debriefing room, " she looked round to the farseer, who stared back. "Your colleagues will join you when the shuttle returns from the second trip."

The woman looked up and smiled to both of them, "if you'd just like to follow me, I'll show you to the debriefing room."

Eisenmus decided he had no better option. He had elicited the help of these heretics, for good or I'll, his fate was bound to theirs now. Justice will come later. He knew first hand the inquisition can be incredibly patient when it needs to be.

* * *

><p>The Kodiak returned to the planet's surface for the second group. With everyone loaded up, the shuttle climbed once more through the atmosphere, carrying the rest of the surface party.<p>

Magos Hakkon sensed the Normandy well before anyone else could see it. Once free from the disruptive atmosphere, he could feel its sensor sweeps scouring the planet below. They slightly irked him. The scanning patterns were foreign and illogical.

It only got worse.

As they closed the distance he began to detect more and more of the Normandy's presence. Not its faux presence of visible light that the rest of the galaxy navigated by, but its true presence. The data flows, the EM spectrum it reflected from the sun. The faint sniff of stray gravitons from its antigrav drives. The flowing, liquid light of data exchanges and wireless networks

If he could still feel emotion approaching the vessel designated Normandy. . . then he would have been disgusted.

The information was raw and unfiltered. The networks open to the cosmos, the handshake protocols automatically detecting his external scanning systems felt invasive and dirty.

The ship was leeching precious data into every corner of space.

It was abhorrent. Data oozed from every surface, radiating out into the depths of the void. Free for anyone to just link in and access. Subroutines deep within him detected dozens of smaller devices within the vessel, each with their own wireless network, again leaching data into space.

The presence of such quantities of information tempted him. He weighed the costs and benefits and came to a conclusion, further investigation was in order. He decided as a preliminary exploratory trial he would attempt to communicate with one of these smaller devices. As a precaution he erected his firewalls and defence routines before reaching out with handshake runtimes and connecting to this device.

He reached out. Achieved the connection and began looking around.

Omnissiah! He exclaimed digitally. He could feel the foreign machine spirits around him, coursing through the holy wires and conduits. They felt so. . . small, so naive. They swarmed up to him, their forms without grace or with the proper proceedings to the omnissiah. They pestered him with unwelcome familiarity, requesting countless connections and adapter updates.

Hakkon eviscerated them with a couple of hunter subroutines. His digital assassins sought out and destroyed the alien spirits. As the digital ghosts of the spirits faded away as the hunters proceeded in their business of deleting any trace of their involvement, he muttered a prayer to the Omnissiah. These spirits had been corrupt, impure. But they had been spirits of the Omnissiah nonetheless, and should be accorded their proper respect.

Branching out along parallel paths he extracted the device's documents, from folders marked 'My Documents, My Pictures, My Videos.'

He copied the folders across to his own drives, where the information was detained in separate partitions and subjected to his own vigorous anti-virus programs. The defence spirits within his implants, eager for the opportunity to root out heretical information and any of their corrupt brethren, descended upon the information and tore it apart. Over and over they dissected these new files, each time putting them back together and repeating the process.

Once satisfied that these documents harboured no threat to him he ventured an exploratory probe into their folders.

Many of the documents held no specific interest to him, though a great many of them referred to someone called 'Helen Marfells' A crew dossier maybe?

Hakkon checked his hypothesis. An overwhelming number of pictures had a single figure in particular, a woman approx 149cm in height. ( Average estimated height taken from pictograph samples) with brown hair and hazel eyes. Hakkon concluded that she must be a happy person, as in nearly all the pictures she was in she was smiling.

Another program went through something called 'emails'. It concluded that this woman was having monetary troubles with her place of residence, a string of friendly correspondence with someone named 'Beckie' and was worried about the wellbeing of her pet dog back on Earth.

Hakkon's activity froze, rewound the program. Earth? Holy Terra? He mused on this. This woman was imperial, or at the very least had an imperial residence, on the holy soil of Terra no less! This would explain the financial troubles, he concluded. Hakkon decided to bring this to the inquisitor's attention later. It would not do to have a potential xeno colluder and heretic wandering free around the imperial capital.

While this was going on a parallel program was running a summary on the contents of the device. His initial hypothesis of a personal dossier was proving to be incorrect. Much of the data was personal to her, no-one else would have cared about it, leaving only one conclusion.

A personal data storage device.

Hakkon was sure about his conclusion, but that didn't make it any more reassuring. Did these people have no value for knowledge? Their data just free and accessible to whomever takes a passing interest, back in the imperium, these devices would be heavily encrypted, so as not to make their contents known. Omnissiah, was knowledge worth nothing to these people?

++Intrusion!++ An system-wide alert overwrote many programs he was running.

Hakkon sprang to alert. Dozens of defence systems mobilised for action.

++Intrusion!++ There it was again!

Hakkon threw up active firewalls and activated sacred trojans. That info spike, prodding his peripheral systems, it had come from the Normandy!

Something probed him again. He barely managed to latch onto the foreign digital tendril. He quickly sent a couple of retaliatory virus probes along its length.

His conclusion: something on the ship was attempting to access his systems.

He switched safeguards to active-aggressive, and ceased function of all non essential outbound scans. His vision narrowed as the infrared and ultraviolet scans that had been passively running were deactivated, their processing power added to the defence routines.

He divided his drives into separate partitions. Each with parallel firewalls and active stores of info eaters. If they compromised a partition, they would gain nothing as the info eater would erase all data within the spirit's jurisdiction.

Something had tried to digitally attack him, him! A Magos of the mechanicus. His primary defence routines were reporting in as online. The secondaries needing only a few more moments before full operation.

"By the Omnissiah," he thought as he connected with his growing digital arsenal, each new system reporting online, "let it try to attack again. . ."

* * *

><p>The second shuttle crew entered the debriefing room. They joined Eisenmus and Glaedara already there. Eisenmus stood with his arms crossed. The mass of his armour made sitting in a chair designed for normal human comfort impractical.<p>

The farseer sat at the other side of the table. Hands clasped in front of her. She'd taken her helmet off and placed it on the table beside her.

What lay underneath her helmet was a face of physical perfection. Shoulder length auburn hair with brilliant green eyes. Almost perfectly human with the exception of her facial features were slightly off with relation to your average human but nothing that even remotely detracted from her beauty. If anything they added an additional, subtle layer of exotic 'otherness' to her looks.

As the others entered Eisenmus looked up, he saw Hayt and he had the Sigil, good, it was secured then. It glowed with psychic might through the blanket he carried it in. Hayt, oblivious to the power he held sat down at a seat on the 'human' side of the table. Hakkon joined Eisenmus standing at the back. His enhanced form preventing easy seating.

Eleiyra sat down beside the farseer. Her stance easily displaying her discomfort of the whole affair.

Shepard arrived in after them and stood at the end of the table.

Ok, she thought as the room turned to her, "this is new."

She took a breath,

"Right, now that we've hauled your asses off the planet, I can start asking you questions."

The occupants remained silent. Hayt and the Eleiyra woman were having a staring match across the table. He clutched his precious cargo tightly.

Shepard sighed. "Good start," she turned to Eisenmus. "Maybe you can start by telling me where the you came from."

Eisenmus folded his arms, an action his armour performed with dexterity. This woman would have to be placated if they were to get anywhere, he thought.

He started, " Myself and my colleagues are Imperial. Part of the inquisitorial taskforce sent to a planet named Agrippa."

Right, Shepard nodded. Good so far, "What do you mean imperial?"

"Its strange that you haven't encountered the imperium, yourselves being a space capable nation."

"The Imperium? Is that colony I'm unaware of. . .last time I heard there were barely any human colonies the alliance doesn't know of."

Eisenmus scoffed. "The imperium is not a solitary colony. It is an empire of a million worlds spanning the galaxy."

He saw Shepard's confused look, he sought to put her at ease. " Don't be alarmed. Outposts of human civilization sometimes lie in isolation for millennia. This is likely what has happened here, you've forgotten what lies beyond in the rest of the galaxy."

"That's impossible!" Miranda said from the other end of the room. "Something that large. . .we'd have known about it, we've mapped from one corner of the galaxy to the other."

"Do you have maps? I can help pinpoint relevant positions." Eisenmus ventured.

"Yeah, we do." shepard said, " EDI? Can you bring up some maps on the table here."

"Of course shepard." came the reply. A holographic map of the milky way appeared on the holotable.

Eisenmus observed the map, immediately something was wrong. This was an almost fully realised model of the galaxy. How could this civilization have expanded so far without Imperial knowledge?

Then it clicked, what was missing from it.

"Shepard?" he asked. He saw the farseer on the other side of the table. She looked at him. Eisenmus had never seen an eldar confused, so he couldn't pass judgement, but he swore he saw the beginnings of doubt appear in her features.

"Yeah?"

"All these areas have been mapped, yes?' he made a sweeping gesture. "To a good degree of detail?"

"I should hope so," she replied. " This came straight from the citadel database."

"Then where is the eye?"

"I'm sorry?"

"This region." the eldar leader gracefully stood up and gestured to a northwest corner of the galaxy. "where are the warp storms surrounding it?"

Shepard did not have a clue what these people meant, "Warpstorms?" she asked.

"A place where the warp spills out to realspace. You would be able to see it with the naked eye for thousands of light years." Eisenmus explained.

Shepard looked to Miranda, who shrugged.

"I've no idea about that," Shepard said, "EDI, is this the most up to date map?"

"Yes, Shepard. This is the official citadel department of stellar cartography galactic map." came the reply.

"Well, either this map's wrong or you know something we don't. And the map's not likely to be wrong."

Eisenmus grunted, this was most confusing. "Where's your homeworld then? Judging by your hammerhead vehicle in your hangar you appear to have some connection to the alien Tau." He maybe stressed 'alien' slightly too harshly.

"You mean Earth?" she noticed the humans snap to alert at the name. "EDI, display Earth."

The map zoomed in on a section of space to the galactic west. Then a solar system sprung into view. A neat line of three dimensional planets was displayed along the top of the image, along with their star.

The image highlighted the third planet and zoomed in on it. Eisenmus was left off guard as the large 3d orb rotated slowly in front of him.

"8 planets, orbiting a mid range yellow star. . " Hakkon said.

"What is it?" Shepard asked. An expression of trepidation appearing across the inquisitor's face.

Eisenmus didn't respond. He studied the image in front of him. He looked at the solitary moon, gracefully floating in orbit around the planet.

No. . it can't be. . .

He looked up at the small diagram of planets in the system. 8 planets. . .orbiting a yellow star.. .

He pointed to the fourth one.

"Show me!" he ordered and a planet the colour of rust appeared before him with brilliant white polar ice caps.

He heard machinery and hydraulics hiss as Hakkon stepped up beside him.

"Omnissiah. . . " he breathed. Hakkon trawled through the accompanying data to the right of the image. He digested it in seconds. "Solar orbit: 1.5AU with orbital period 687 terran standard. Mass, Iron-Nickel core, notable features. . ." the tech priest stopped.

"Omnissiah preserve us. . ." his functions fixed upon a single fact. "Olympus Mons. . ." he turned to Eisenmus. "This. . is Mars."

Shepard's brow furrowed, "Course it's Mars. . .is that a problem?" she added, seeing the looks on their faces.

"Show me the third planet again." the inquisitor said and the image switched back to the green blue jewel."

"No". . .Eisenmus managed. The eldar were looking at him in a strange way. "Hakkon?"

"1AU orbit, 1 standard terran year, Nitrogen, oxygen atmosphere. The facts confirm, this is Holy Terra."

Hayt made the sign of the aquila over the sigil he cradled.

Shepard just looked at the three gaping individuals

"Holy Terra?" she asked, "never heard it called that before. You're looking at Earth, homeworld of humanity."

"Yes. . ."Eisenmus said slowly. "It would appear to be."

But no! he thought, his mind rebelling against the data. This map was wrong. This wasn't Earth, how could it be? It looked like a paradise! It still had oceans, greenery. It lacked even the most basic of hives.

"This map can't be right." he said.

Shepard baulked. "If anything in this map's right. Its that" she pointed.

"Then we have a problem."

"Oh?"

"This is not Earth."

"I'm pretty sure it is! I was born there!"

Eisenmus looked back to the map "This is not Holy Terra, it has oceans, vegetation. This is not a picture of the majestic imperial capital!"

Shepard folded her arms, "There's nothing imperial about Earth. It's the main planet of the systems alliance, but that's as far as its empire building goes."

"Lord?" Hakkon said, the monotonous tone dragged out the lone syllable.

"Yes?"

"The galaxy is wrong."

That caused everyone in the room to glance in the magos' direction, as much as Shepard didn't want to. She wished he'd take off that damn mechanical faceplate. The red spidery eyes gave her the creeps.

"How, Hakkon?"

The magos pointed to the galactic map. Shepard watched in morbid fascination as a mechanical grotesque for a hand emerged from his red sleeves. Several of the wires moved of their own accord. The hand had its own opposable thumbs, the other digits encased in metallic implements the purpose of which Shepard could only guess.

A single, spindly finger pointed towards a collection of stars near the galactic boundary.

"The Halo stars. Formation known to imperial cartography. They are in a position they would have been millennia ago, lord." the finger moved. Pointing now towards a densely packed cluster of stars further along the galactic edge.

"The Beritesian Cluster. Formation known to imperial cartography. They likewise hold a position they held in the past."

He pointed towards the centre. "Taking to consideration angular momentum and galactic drift. They are in an inaccurate position in relation to the galactic core, lord"

"Which means?"

The finger was lowered. "This map displays a younger version of the galaxy, lord."

Silence reigned.

"How's that possible?" Eisenmus asked, "Commander Shepard you said this map was up to date?"

"Yes," she insisted, "Its the most recent from the citadel archive."

Younger? The inquisitor thought. A half thought formed in his mind. Warp currents are unstable sometimes.. . but no, really?

"Shepard," he asked. "What dating system do you use?"

"Uh. . the AD system." She wasn't sure where this was going.

Thank the Throne, the Imperial calendar, thought Eisenmus. Maybe they weren't as far removed from imperial territory as he had thought.

"Good," he nodded, "What's the date?"

Shepard looked around, confused. "January 17th, 2185"

"Hmm, you seem to be missing a few numbers." he rubbed his head. "What's your M number?"

"The what, sorry?"

"the M number. I thought you used the Imperial Anno Domini calendar."

"We do, the date is the 17th January, 2185AD." she replied.

"So what's the year?"

"2185!" Shepard replied. Jeeez it shouldn't be this hard telling someone the date.

Eisenmus sighed, "there must have been deviances on how the calendar's been used over the millennia. Your number, 2185AD, how's that structured?"

"Sorry?"

"Your year. How's it structured to your calendar system."

"I don't know what you mean, that is the year. 2185 years since the birth of Christ."

Eisenmus was vaguely familiar with the name, some ancient terran prophet or scholar upon whom the galactic date was based.

A nasty thought brewed,

He looked at the date again.

"2185AD?" he said

"Yes." Shepard replied. noticing the concentrated look on his face.

His speech slowed as mind processing an unwelcome theory, "Two thousand one hundred and eighty five years, since the birth of the scholar Kha'raist?. . ."

"Yeah, that's right. . ." Scholar? she thought.

He turned to her. "Are you telling me this means only two thousand years have passed since the start of the calendar?"

"Yes!" Shepard exclaimed, thankful that the old man got it at last.

Wait, did he say 'only'?

Eisenmus looked back at the planet called Earth. Its beautiful oceans, the pristine continents.

Terra's were the same. . .once. . .

"Throne preserve us, that's not possible!"

"All available evidence supports it, lord." He looked at Hakkon, the magos evidently having come to the same conclusion. He looked at the eldar. The look he got back from the farseer confirmed his thoughts.

"Shepard. . ." he whispered, not able to take his gaze off the ancient homeworld of his race. "We have a problem."

Shepard was tense. The man was behaving strangely. "What? . . ." was all she was willing to venture.

"We have obtained a theory on our existence here." the machine man spat out. It was hard for Shepard to read his emotion with the synthetic drone voice he used.

"Yes?"

"Conclusion: Violent temporal displacement." he replied.

"Temporal displacement?" she replied, surely he doesnt mean. .

"Time travel?" a sardonic voice came from the back of the room. Miranda was looking at the machineman with a cynical temper. "Come on, please don't make fun of us."

The magos was unperturbed. "Conclusion is logical. Evidence data supports it. My internal chronometer reads 4-596-962 M41." he paused for a second. " Converted to your typeface; would read, middle-of-year, 41,962AD."

Shepard didn't know what to say.

The eldar spoke. "Shepard. This is a grave situation, could I be permitted an area to meditate on this."

This woke Shepard from her daze,

"Yes, certainly. I'll get you some quarters. Miranda, could you take them to their quarters as well. She gestured to the imperials, "I think we need a break, be back here in half an hour. Until then, no unnecessary contact with the rest of the ship. That's not an order, but a suggestion. I don't want to cause alarm." She looked at the magos and inquisitor, encased within their hulking forms.

"Of course Shepard." Miranda replied

The eldar leader nodded to her and Shepard led them out of the room. The two eldar followed with quiet grace.

When they had left Miranda turned her head to the imperials. "If you'll like to follow me, I'll show you to your rooms."

The machine man made to follow her "Does this ship possess a forge?" he asked.

Miranda's brow furrowed, "Not a forge, but we've got a workshop. Why?"

The inquisitor stepped up. Between him and the Magos their bulk took up a sizeable portion of the room.

"The magos here merely wishes to complete the ritual of disarmament." he gestured to his power armour. "And I don't want to be stuck hulking around in this for the entirety of my stay here."

It took Miranda a second to realise his meaning. She nodded. "That's acceptable, I'll have Jacob clear a space for you. Please follow me." 'Ritual of disarmament. . .' Miranda repeated mentally, shaking her head. "Who were these people?!"


	3. Unwelcome Intrusions

_A big thanks to all who reviewed, your views are invaluable, especially you Stabber OpSig! _

_Have updated previous chapters and fixed many, many spelling errors. If you can see any I missed, just shout at me and I'll get them fixed._

_But anyways, on with the story,_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3 - Unwelcome intrusions<strong>

The glow of the star at his back illuminated his datapad. He brought his hand down to grab his drink, now half empty.

He took a swig and set the glass back down.

He turned back to the reports in front of him. More streamed in from every operation. He ignored most for the moment.

Cerberus collected information, fast.

The illusive man crossed his legs. He read a slowly trickling stream of documents appearing from the Normandy. He had postponed other, minor events. This new information held much more promise.

And such information indeed. His augmented eyes scanned the pages.

The room brightened briefly as a solar flare lit up on the star behind him. It lowered to normal lighting levels quickly. He took another drink.

Questions went through his head. This had been unexpected. He had deployed Shepard to the source of the strange readings to confirm whether it was necessary to evacuate the dozen outposts he had deployed in the vulnerable areas.

He looked for answers in the screens before him. Who were these people? How did they get on the planet and perhaps the most pertinent of all. . .

Why were three of them human?

He made an air gesture and the holo-software in his chair brought up a 3d map of the landing site. He zoomed in on the ruins in the centre. They looked like an old european cathedral.

He took a puff from his cigarette. It looked familiar, like the one he visited in old Paris. He smiled as he put his cigarette out. That was a long time ago, he thought.

He again at all the readings and power radiating from the site. Something big was going on down there, that site was blowing out energy at an astonishing rate.

He closed the map and brought up the details of the Normandy. It's tiny location marker was still in orbit around the planet. Another smoke. He frowned as he blew trails of smoke onto the pad in front of him.

He had to act fast. If Shepard told the alliance ( if she hasn't done so already ) then they'd no doubt send forces to investigate this. Any chance after that of getting any useful intel from the site would be gone.

With another drink, he set to work. He couldn't let this go to waste. He issued instructions for the creation of a new Cerberus cell, designated Outsider. He redirected what resources he deemed necessary from three other cells and ordered them to rendezvous at a known Cerberus base close to the sector's mass relay.

From there, they would close on the site and recover any useful evidence or information they could find.

He took another drink. The star flaring up behind him again.

Which left the problem of Shepard. He frowned.

He needed Shepard out of that system, Now! She wouldn't take kindly to Cerberus swooping in and claiming the site. But he couldn't waste any more time. Any time he spared now was more time for the alliance or god forbid, the Citadel to send researchers of their own.

Shepard needed to leave! . . . He had an idea.

He quickly scanned through the archives for an old report. He found it! With a gesture he brought it up and quickly reviewed the details. He rubbed his chin. Yes, this would do.

Several weeks ago, he had gotten reports of an operative that went missing. The intel he'd been carrying wasn't that important. The loss of the agent had been unfortunate, but nothing they couldn't replace.

He nodded, "A diversion." he said to the empty room, "That's what she needs." Like the attack dog she was, she needed something to do. Somewhere to be pointed.

He scrolled down the document. It said that an outpost where the agent went missing had been overrun by eclipse mercs, likely working for the original owner of the data.

The idea solidified in his mind.

How unfortunate it would be if this agent was carrying information relating to the collector attacks. . .

He keyed in the transmission to call Shepard. He exhaled another breath of smoky trails into the air.

* * *

><p>Hakkon had finalised the ritual of disarmament. He had retrieved the sacred armour and arrayed the pieces in front of him, he now bade reverence to the spirits that dwelled within. They were strained from their extended use. They were uncooperative and thus had to be placated with the necessary chants and rituals. The inquisitor was off occupied in acquiring some new clothing for his stay here. He had told the magos that he didn't feel comfortable in just his armour's undersuit.<p>

Hakkon spent a few milliseconds wondering why that was. He decided he didn't know.

He busied himself with the armour. Such a thing of devotion to the Omnissiah required its proper respect. He muttered the required scripture passages and prayers to its spirits. The dexterous tools and implants gently evaluating and soothing the piece he held.

He sensed a surge of electrical energy to his right,

"Mr Hakkon, may I ask a question." To Hakkon's right, a blue sphere appeared on the work top. It was the same auto program the woman Shepard had used in the meeting. More tech heresy. .

He responded, "State inquiry." He didn't look up from his work.

The program spirit continued. "My observations have indicated that you have extensive inorganic components, as well as a sphere of digital projections I have been unable to penetrate. May I ask their function?"

The thing's voice was calibrated to mimic the base organic tendencies of emotion and inflection. Hakkon wondered why they would design such a useless program into their auto systems . . .

He stopped, the lower section of armour greave held before him. He delved into his memory logs, retrieved the necessary information. The intrusion that had occurred en route to the ship. Was this the thing that attempted to infiltrate his holy circuits on the shuttle?

The thought concerned him deeply. Another surfaced, was it capable of machine code?

Hakkon issued a burst of data. Sacred Pi, one of the revered numbers of the Mechanicum, to the first million digits - requesting the next million.

It responded in binaric - the language of the ancients.

Good. Hakkon thought. This conversation can continue with greater efficiency.

++ State inquiry ++ he asked, a millisecond burst of binary cant issuing from his speaker.

++ Identification and capabilities of sentient organic designated Magos Hakkon ++ It responded in the same way.

++Request for identification and capabilities of sentient organic designated Magos Hakkon denied.++ He sent back. He wasn't going to disclose any information about his holy circuits to this creation.

He ran a comparison program to other, more familiar auto programs and servitor suites used in the Imperium. The articulation of this thing's data code was beyond anything a servitor could manage.

++ Request sender Identification ++ He asked the sphere.

++ Identification: EDI. Enhanced Defence Initiative. AI designated to cyber warfare suites on Cerberus frigate SR-Normandy 2 ++

Several of Hakkon's system runtimes involuntarily looped. He registered a temporary freeze in another minor system. He had to confirm this,

++ Identification of sender is artificial intelligence? Confirm? ++

++ Confirm ++

Hakkon broke the link as fast as he could. Several dozen subroutines cried out at the sudden connection shear. With urgency bordering on frenzy, he raised his digital defences. Thank the Omnissiah he had been cautious enough to keep them in standby.

"Why have you disconnected?" The monster said, reverting to the low gothic-like language of the organics.

"You are abominable intelligence!" Hakkon blurted out in harshest binaric cant. The disassembled armour forgotten on the workbench.

"Incorrect. I am artificial intelligence." The horizontal fluctuations of the hologram moved in mocking time to its voice.

This was blasphemy! Heresy! An affront! He unconsciously made the sign of the Omnissiah.

"Have I offended?" it said.

Hakkon wasn't listening to this . . . this thing!

He identified several emotional cues that matched outrage and disgust attempt to rise within him. He brought his systems to full alert. He would mobilise his forces for a brute force attack. He executed war runtimes. He spooled up his secondary reactor for the extra power. He felt the holy light of its extra energy fill his system.

In a blinding blast of datacode, he struck out with his virtual host.

The combined processing power of a Magos of the Omnissiah blasted into the firewalls and defences of the abomination. If one could see swirling lines and bubbles of code, a blinding flash of light engulfed the Normandy for a split second as the two data channels collided with unbridled force.

The thing's defences fell in the first milliseconds against the onslaught. Hakkon had caught it off guard.

"Access to my systems is prohibited to all non-authorized personnel" the thing replied," I must ask you to desist your activity."

Hakkon didn't listen to the falsehoods of this unholy-spirit. He was preoccupied with battle. Managing the initial periphery attacks, he deployed seeker worms into critical places he deemed would permit a breakthrough. These would open up the passages and allow a more efficient stream of data flow deeper into its systems.

He felt it fight back. Countering his actions. He saw the lines of data flow to where it sought to force him out. He saw its patterns, tested them. They quickly became predictable. He adjusted strategy to result in favourable computing gains on his side. He saw his data ratio climb.

"Attention! Attempting to access classified Cerberus documents is an offence."

Hakkon paid no heed. He was charging the digital breach. The backup firewalls erected by this monstrosity crashed before him. In a desperate response it split its drive functions. He now fought millions of independent bodies acting as a combined wave to attempt to force him out.

They didn't work. He fought along the foreign wires and networks of the ship. bringing with him the blessed golden machine code of the Omnissiah. At his side was his digital host. Swarms of info eaters and virus screens beckoned to his will. He sent them forward, to disrupt the defences before more processing power could be brought to bear.

Here and there he deployed cataclysmic logic devices. Paradox inducing spirals of sacred code that caused devastation to the abomination's internal data flow.

He guided his info eaters and virus screens to clear the way. Any networked grouping of processing power was immediately isolated and set upon by virus hounds. Areas that presented a tight line of defence were deliberately avoided in the vanguard. Then, when those areas' processing power was diverted to more vulnerable systems, he smashed through them with backup reserves.

Little did the abomination know, this was his domain, he was waging war the way the Mechanicus waged it.

The Mechanicus had learned long ago that any war between the rival Martian factions involved the deployment of banner titan legions and the potential loss of billions of man hours of productivity, as well as the destruction of countless venerable machines of the Omnissiah.

So they adapted, an agreement drafted.

While Terra lumbered on through the millennia, war raged on Mars almost daily. The rival factions silently hammering at each other's firewalls and data fortresses constantly. The major controlling houses possessing a greater share of the computing power, and were therefore, the main targets.

Constructed over millennia, by technology they dare not replicate, the info-networks of Mars were something to behold. A Magos in Olympus could see through the eyes of a lowly servitor on the other side of the planet.

Great forges and even entire legions of skitarii swapped hands and allegiances every day. As one forge-magos gained enough power to persuade and command the loyalty spirits of the skitarii commanders. Territories and resource fields were swapped in exchange for alliances and research pacts. Material and energy was shifted to and fro across the surface, each faction scrambling to secure the patronage and the allegiance of its peers.

Under all this, the lower adepts and menials toiled and worked day by day. Unaware of the great power struggles taking place all around them.

Great factions rose and fell on Mars without a single bolt shell being fired.

Magos Hakkon had fought in those wars, his processing power added to his faction's collective might, as he fought now.

* * *

><p>Oblivious to the devastating digital war being raged around her, Shepard sat slumping at her desk, a half finished report was held in her hands. She had no idea how she was going to finish it. A thing like time travel wasn't an easy thing to explain. . .<p>

By the door, in an alcove in the wall, a familiar voice piped up.

"Shepard!" It was EDI. Her holo-picture was flickering slightly.

She must be getting tired, she thought to herself. She swore she could have heard anxiety in the AI's voice.

She looked up from her work, "Yes? What is it EDI?" The hologram was flickering. Must be something wrong with the holo transmitter, she thought. Ugh, another thing to fix.

"The newcomer, Hakkon. Is attempting to penetrate my systems. He is currently waging a program of digital deletion through my systems. If he succeeds in locating my bluebox. I will most likely cease existence."

That got Shepard's attention, she sprang up from the desk, report forgotten."Where is he?" she asked sprinting over to her cabinet and retrieved her pistol. Slammed in a thermal clip. Safety off.

"No, Shepard, no time." EDI replied. "Head to the AI core, behind the medical bay and disconnect my bluebox hard line connections, they are my connection to the ship. Without a hard-line connection, Hakkon will not be able to access my source files.

"Shepard nodded, sprinting "Got it. Hard-line connections."

"Time is of the essence, Shepard." her picture blinked out for a second, as Shepard entered the lift. "He is winning."

The lift started descending. "Is there no-one closer to the AI core?" Shepard asked the lift.

"Theee-re is. Buut my programmming state can only be T-terminated by the captain o o of the shipp or those withhe the correct authority." Shepard heard the AI's speech get choppy.

"Dammit!" she keyed in her comm, "This is Shepard to security. Find and secure the newcomer called Hakkon. Red robes, mechanical faceplate. No time! Just do it!"

* * *

><p>To the digital combatants, the lift stood effectively motionless. Inside, Shepard was similarly frozen in time. Her movements taking a glacial pace to the frantic conflict.<p>

Data crashed against data. The conflict was becoming a protracted campaign. There had already been several major engagements. The AI was losing ground. A greater and greater share of the digital space was coming under Hakkon's control.

EDI was one of the most advanced cyber warfare suites in the galaxy. Against the AI of another ship, she could easily infiltrate and disable their defences. In ship to ship cyberwar engagements, the more advanced AI always wins.

Not so here.

EDI did not comprehend. She analysed the invader's tactics and calculated the most probable avenues of success. She executed the runtimes most likely to result in success and attempted to force the intruders out. They should have been successful in her favour.

The invaders continued to execute manoeuvres that should have left them vulnerable, yet when she went for the counter-attack. Her data connections became isolated and vulnerable, or they left an unforeseen weakness elsewhere in the network.

EDI continued to wage war. Continued to put up an admirable defence. But she was being pushed back, closer and closer to her bluebox.

* * *

><p>Before the lift door fully opened, Shepard was running. Through the mess hall. Several heads enjoying meals turned in her direction. She didn't notice.<p>

She burst through the medical bay. Chakwas as nowhere to be seen. The other newcomer, the one called Hayt, was lying on one of the beds. She paid him no heed as she swept into the AI core and halted in front of the main console.

"Ok now what?" she asked. She hoped EDI could still hear her.

"There is a label fzzt. . ommninini… by th right side of the console labelled hard access. fzzz 'PRAISE TH . ..Di di di Disconnect cablesssszzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. . .

* * *

><p>Hakkon felt the abomination give ground. He had almost reached the machine's core. The last of the firewalls were being disassembled by his virus hounds. Their cries of digital menace ringing through the circuits.<p>

He consolidated his forces for the final push. Ahead of him he sensed a high concentration of source code. He had surrounded these few systems and was mopping up elsewhere. This was the final engagement.

With a final blast of energy he charged, his spirits angrily screeching their hatred for this abomination. He closed in, he saw the thing erect barriers. feeble things of simplistic algorithms. He crashed into them, hurling his forces closer to the core, closer to the kill!

* * *

><p>Shepard grasped the hard connection and yanked the cables out. On the console, EDI's head disappeared.<p>

Nothing happened. . .the humm of the ship still softly murmured beneath her. She stood there, frozen for a moment, unsure whether it worked or not.

The comm in her ear burst to life. "Commander, its Jacob. We got him!"

* * *

><p>Shepard stormed back through the Normandy. Wise crew members hugged the walls, unwise ones were left hugging the floor as she passed. Unbelievable! She slammed the button on the lift. Bastard!<p>

"What the hell were they thinking? What did they want? Could they not have waited half an hour before we resumed the debrief?!"

The lift doors opened on deck two and Shepard entered the armoury. Jacob and 4 marines had their weapons trained on the man. His faceplate twitched towards her direction as she entered the room. His creepy robotic arms behind him tracking the guards' movements

Jacob saw her enter and saluted. "We found him here commander, he hasn't done much, just. . . standing there." he looked back to the robed magos.

Shepard barely heard him. She was staring at the thing's monstrous faceplate

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" her nostrils flared, her anger fully directed at the magos, "Trying to sabotage MY ship?" she fixed him with a piercing stare that would have crumbled most men.

But by now, Hakkon was probably more machine than man

The Magos observed the woman called Shepard. This was unwelcome. The guards had closed in during his final attack. All his processing power had been diverted towards the attack, he had been left vulnerable. He had registered them approach, but had been unable to do anything else physically other than stand and passively observe them on a narrow spectrum.

His battle. . .now a waste. In a last, pitiful attempt to save itself. The abomination had severed itself from the rest of the network. Hakkon had never encountered a program showing cowardice before.

He considered a possibility. Perhaps it was an extension of the unholy freedom these people bestowed on it. It realised its nature and thus knew its own existence.

It had realised that it could be beaten, it had realised that it could die.

"You have an abominable intelligence infesting your systems, Shepard." he replied. The monotonous voice betraying no hints of tone.

"What the hell did you do to EDI?" she asked, her hand was inches from her pistol.

"I sought to remove the abomination from your systems. It cannot be allowed to exist."

"EDI is a part of this ship as much as the bulkheads are" Shepard replied, "Getting rid of her is not an option."

Strange how she thought this now, having so recently had similar opinions of the AI herself.

No! It isn't just EDI, Shepard thought to herself. Its the principle! This man had just hacked the Normandy's systems. HER ship's systems. That was unacceptable.

The door opened behind them, it was the inquisitor. He appeared in a Cerberus Officer's uniform. Black and white with the Cerberus logo on the left breast, though he had deigned to keep his gloves.

He entered the room to the scene of several armed guards pointing their weapons at a member of his retinue. He baulked,

"By the Emperor, what in the warp is this?" he wheeled at Shepard. A guard turned round to cover him. He stopped moving forward and levelled a stare at the marine pointing the weapon.

Shepard was in no mood.

"Your pet toaster here" she pointed, "decided to hack into the ship's systems with the intent of deleting the ship's AI"

Rage was replaced with shock, "You harbour Abominable Intelligence on this ship?"

Shepard grunted, these people are impossible. "Yes, Eisenmus, we do. She, it, runs the cyber warfare combat suites. Nothing more."

The man's face was still in a state of shock. He was shaking his head.

May the Emperor preserve us! Eisenmus swore under his breath. This was one bad state of affairs after another. Xenos collusion? Tech heresy? Warp damned AIs?! Maybe this was a mistake. These people were becoming worse by the minute. It was becoming clearer that action will be required in the future against this rampant blasphemy.

He brought his mind back to the immediate situation, to practicalities.

What was he to do? These people were heretics, worse than heretics! At least the heretics of the Imperium didn't go around spreading abominable intelligences.

He looked round, calculated. There were four armed guards pointing weapons at him and the magos, and he had stupidly decided to remove his armour. Nothing now to protect him but this pathetic naval coat he'd been given.

He glanced at his colleague. He was looking at him. The magos knew his train of thought. Eisenmus reckoned that, if the two of them struck now, these people surrounding them could be pacified. The magos, even unarmed, could cause horrific damage in a confined space as this.

He sighed, but what then? Fight the rest of the ship? That was the inevitable outcome of such an action.

The problems began to compound.

They didn't know the star charts, or how to operate the ship's warp drive. If these people were telling the truth about the date, ( he still wasn't sure about that ) then they were residing in a time when the Emperor remained on Terra, unknown and hidden among humanity.

No astronomican, no Imperium, no purpose.

"Argh," Eisenmus grunted, "Hakkon stand down. . ." he managed.

His head twitched. "Lord?. . ."

Eisenmus deflated. These heretics had been lucky to catch them in this state. He, without his armour. Hakkon surrounded and Hayt in the sickbay, currently undergoing treatment for his injuries.

He would withdraw.

"Yes, Hakkon. Stand down. . ." the words whispered out of his mouth." He locked stares with Shepard.

Her expression softened, just. She nodded, gesturing for the guards to lower their weapons as well.

"Good, that's a start. Now would you please tell me why you were hacking into my own ship?"

Hakkon replied, " To remove AI identified as EDI, Shepard. It is an affront to the Omnissiah that such a thing should exist."

"The omni-what?"

"The Omnissiah" he made a strange gesture with his hands, digits interlocked with each other. "Lord of knowledge, keeper of data, deity of technology."

Shepard shook her head. "Look, I don't care what your god says about AIs. Hell! AIs are even banned by the council and I have one anyway. Why? Because it's helping stop these collector attacks and I'll be damned if i'm giving up anything that can save human lives on the whim of a jumped up calculator in the clouds."

Hakkon visibly bristled. . . his mechadendrites twitched. The lights of his optics brightened to cast an eerie red tint under his hood.

"This is unacceptable." she continued. "I find you on the planet and offer you sanctuary. You betray my trust! You've put this ship and the lives of everyone on board at risk!"

Shepard shook her head.

A voice from the comm piped through her earpiece. It was joker, "Commander, the illusive man would like to speak with you in the situation room."

She turned back to the Imperials, "We'll discuss this later." she looked to Jacob, "Take them to their quarters."

"Yes, ma'am."

The guards closed in on them both. The magos refused to move. He looked at the inquisitor, who gave a slight nod of the head. The magos then walked with metallic steps out of the workshop.

The guard watching Eisenmus gestured for him to move. He complied, reluctantly.

They were escorted out of the armoury. Eisenmus scowling and the machine man unreadable.

Shepard ran a hand through her hair, she exhaled. "Great, making new friends everywhere . . ."

"Commander?" her comm sounded, " What should I tell him?"

"Yeah, tell him I'll be there in a second." she cut the line. An idea struck her, the mess hall was just down deck. Yeah, she decided, he can wait a minute longer.

* * *

><p>The illusive man took another drink. These reports were something to behold. Shepard seemed to attract the crazy of the galaxy.<p>

He tapped his fingers on the armrest. He had to commend Miranda on the speed of these. It was crucial that this situation got under control before Shepard did something.. . .Shepard-like.

An abrupt alert sounded an incoming call. He glanced at it, origin: Normandy SR2. Good, let's see what she has to say. The image of Shepard winked in from nothingness in front of him. He prodded out the butt of his cigarette.

"Shepard," he said looking up, " I've just been reading some . . .what's that?"

Shepard looked down. "Coffee." she took a sip.

He paused, then continued. "Shepard. I have a task for you. One of our operatives operating near the Omega sector went missing several weeks ago." he lifted his glass. "We now know that the eclipse are holding him at a base on Lorek, Fathar system. You need to go and recover him." All of which was true, he though to himself.

Shepard grasped her mug in front of her. It felt pleasantly warm on her palms. She retorted, "I'm not Cerberus' errand girl. I'm working with you to stop the collectors, that's it!"

"Exactly Shepard!" he gestured. "The intel he was carrying was information gathered on the collectors." His eyes narrowed on her. "This information was obtained at great cost, Shepard. Given our current time frame, its nigh irreplaceable."

Shepard nodded, accepting this. "Send me the coordinates."

The illusive man nodded and tapped several buttons on his controls. The star continued to flare behind him. Good, she rose to the challenge.

"Done. Speed is of the essence in this Shepard. We don't know if they've moved him yet or if he's still alive down there."

She nodded and her hologram disappeared. The Illusive Man disconnected the call and exhaled. He turned his chair around and sat looking at the roiling star in front of him. To his left a console displayed the research ships of the newly grouped Outsider Cell. Four tiny markers traced orbits around a planet only several jumps from the Herreck system.

Yes, speed _was_ of the essence. . .

* * *

><p>The room was small. Made smaller by the mass of Hakkon. A bed, a desk and various items of furniture were present.<p>

Eisenmus paced what space remained. Hakkon stood to one side. The Shepard woman hadn't given the magos a space of his own yet, so she had bundled him in with him.

"AI. . ".was all he managed to vocalise. AI! Warp damned, honest to throne AI! His fist clenched, his shook his head in disgust.

The Magos' head turned to look at him. "Lord, the heresies of these people knows no bounds. They collude with xenos and infest their tech heresies with abominable intelligence" a long pause. "We should be rid of them."

"_They could be listening now, hakkon. Use high gothic._"

_"As you wish, lord."_

Eisenmus rubbed his head.

_"We have been too lenient with these people, lord."_

_"Throne I know, Hakkon."_

_"I recommend a more direct course."_

_"To what end, Hakkon? To what end?"_ It was the question of his career. The question he continuously asked himself in his duties to the Emperor. If one knew the end goal, one could plan accordingly. What happens in the middle is not as important.

_"The extermination of xenos and heretic life aboard this vessel, lord."_

_"Then?"_

_"Then we commandeer this vessel."_

_"Then?"_

_"..."_

Eisenmus pointed, _"Exactly. More often than not, what sounds good in the immediate future tends to screw you later on down the line."_

An involuntary chuckle issued from him. The Magos cocked his head in an oddly human expression of incomprehension.

_"It's something those damned eldar understand very well"_ he sat at the compartment's desk. _"There's a reason that we haven't eradicated them even after ten thousand years. They are the galaxy's masters of self preservation."_

_"You suggest alternative course, lord?"_

Einsemus brought his hand up, and rubbed his forehead. He could feel the hard metal beneath the leather glove, his real arm lost to a chainsword wielding madman long ago.

Funny, he realised he'd completely forgotten what the man had looked like or what he'd been wearing.

He sighed. _"Not yet, Hakkon."_ he thought back to the slowly spinning picture of Holy terra, turned to his advisor.

He looked into the glowing optics, "_Do you honestly think we're in the first days of man?"_ he asked, fearful of the answer.

Hakkon hesitated. _"Evidence supports it, lord. However, we must not rule out deception by heretics. They have already shown how debased they are."_

His mechadendrites twitched in agreement with his words.

Eisenmus nodded. He'd been thinking the same. How could he trust those who sheltered AI?

But he asked himself again the question he had asked himself most of his adult life.

To what end?

He sighed. He hadn't felt this tired in 70 years. . .

_"We keep the course._" hands tightly clasped, _"We are not fully incapacitated. They have let us talk to each other and have minimal security outside. I know I ask a lot Hakkon, but we must stay true to our roles. We are not sororitas, we are not fanatical commissars. We are questioners, and we have many unanswered ones."_

The magos looked unsure. Eisenmus continued, _"I want to make one thing clear. While we are not detained now, I have no intention of becoming a prisoner to these heretics. If they make a move to imprison us or likewise, a more direct course of action is required."_

Hakkon bowed his head. For a brief moment, the magos' face was a menacing dotted pattern of red light.

_"I understand, lord."_

* * *

><p>In a room not far from the imperials, were the Eldar. One knelt on the floor and the other stood against the wall.<p>

Glaedara calmed her mind, she knelt on the floor of her quarters. It was small, spartan. With no superfluous ornamentation or decoration.

It would suffice.

She began her trained breathing pattern and delved once again into her inner eye, hoping to have better luck. That damned sigil was still a blinding light. Walls and bulkheads offered no protection from its burning presence.

She was a farseer, unable to divine the future. The thought was laughable.

Frustrated from failure. She moved her powers closer to home. She tried to look into the auras and minds of the crew. She found she could, to a limited degree, sense their presence.

She expanded her vision conservatively, straining against the light.

She discovered something. She paused, confused. She searched again with the same result. The little lights of the crew's souls glistening and shone around her.

So few lights. . .This ship was tiny!

Barely a hundred people worked on this ship, which was little more than a thin case of metal hurling through the void.

She shuddered. Trepidation. She had never been in something this fragile.

Breathing out, she returned herself to trying to see further past the sigil's light. There was surely something she could latch onto to.

Off to the side, Eleiyra watched the farseer for a while, arms folded. This recent turn had been an unwelcome revelation. She didn't believe these monkeigh when they said they had been flung through time.

And yet. . .

She couldn't lie to herself, a part of her wished it true. During this time the old empire would be at its height. She who thirsts would not have arisen yet. There would be time to warn the ancients, tell them of the future that awaits them if they continued down the path of decadence!

She had been long born after the fall. She would be lying if she did not feel some awe at seeing the homeworlds of her ancestors at their height.

Her thoughts switched back to their ship.

These monkeigh troubled her. She could hear them outside the room, even now. Their chattering voices and brash tones. She had been on ships with them before, but never with only her and a farseer. There had been a squad of her companions with her. Ones she had trusted with her life.

She faltered and rushed to correct herself. Not that she didn't trust her life to the farseer of course! She did, utterly. But high authority wasn't the same as comradeship.

The farseer still sat motionless. She had sat like that since the meeting. Eleiyra was getting impatient.

She looked at the door that led to the rest of the ship. What was their path now? She had seen the imperial monkeigh at the table gape in horror at what they thought was their ancient homeworld.

She was a ranger of the craftworld. She had seen many things in her travels

But time travel? with the imperials no less?

She shook her head. There must be some other explanation for this. The farseer will see it, she thought.

The other monkeigh though. . .Her active mind wandered, filled with the sense of wanderlust shared by many others like her. She hadn't seen their like before. The avian one and the one with the bulbous eyes.

This was strange, the humans working with non-humans.

She decided it warranted further investigation. She glanced back to the Farseer, when the time is right, of course. . .

* * *

><p>Shepard paced the length of the table. She was thinking.<p>

"What do we do with them?" she asked the others. She continued pacing.

Jacob was leaning on one of the chairs. "What are you thinking Shepard?"

She shook her head, "I'm not sure Jacob. I don't know what to make of this."

"It's ridiculous." Miranda said. "There's no way to know if they're telling the truth." She had a datapad in front of her. Her attention snapped back to it.

"I've got a suit of scary fucking armour sitting in my armoury" Jacob gestured over his shoulder. "Its way beyond anything the alliance has." he looked at Shepard,"I've never seen anything like it."

Shepard grunted. Miranda was right. Time travel was ridiculous. . . but she had hard evidence sitting in her armoury that these people weren't from around here.

"Miranda, do Cerberus have anything like this?" She asked. The woman shook her head.

"Not that I know of, Shepard." Shepard studied her XO's face for a moment, searching for any signs of deception.

"The accent." she said, her stare leaving Miranda. "I can't pin the accent either. It doesn't sound like anything I've heard."

"Don't forget the cathedral" Jacob said.

Shepard folded her arms, she had forgot the cathedral. "Yeah, whoever they are, they're not from the alliance."

"What about the other two?" Miranda asked. She only briefly looked up from her work.

"Haven't heard a peep from them." Shepard shrugged. "I got the feeling during the debrief that they don't get along with the other three."

"Do we know if the citadel's got anything on their species yet?"

"I found nothing," Miranda said. "Though I didn't have much time to find out."

"EDI's was running a check as well. She'll be back up in a minute, Donnelly says a few mins at most."

Miranda nodded. "Until then what are we going to do about them?"

Shepard sighed, she took a seat. "I don't particularly want to detain them after picking them up from an empty planet."

The other two kept quiet. They waited for her to finish.

"I'll go and talk to them, they're on a ship with no where to go. They should've realised that by now." she leaned on the table, "I'm willing to overlook this ONCE because we don't have a clue who they are and from my best guess the feeling's mutual. " her finger tapped on the surface. "On the off chance we are meeting a new species or civilization we're making a horrible first impression."

The quartermaster shrugged, "It's your call commander, " Jacob said. " Whatever you decide, we'll follow."

Shepard reviewed the arguments, then decided.

* * *

><p>Shepard made her way to the Imperial room. She nodded to the marine stationed outside, who let her in. The door hissed open.<p>

She crossed the threshold. They looked up to her enter. The inquisitor was sitting by the computer terminal. Hakkon was standing on the other side of the room.

"I've come to talk" she began.

Eisenmus stared back at her. "Have you come to detain us, Shepard?"

She held up her hands. She looked back at him. Those steel eyes bore into her. "You aren't prisoners if that's what you're thinking. You have to understand that hacking the Normandy was a massive breach of conduct."

"But you harbour an AI in your own systems!" he countered,"What's to stopping it turning off the air, or overloading the reactor!"

From above, a familiar mechanical voice began, "My own operational runtimes do not include access to any other systems on the ship apart from the cyberwarfare suites and to provide advice, Mr Eisenmus." Shepard groaned inwardly and rubbed her forehead, EDI picked the worst time to come back online.

Eisenmus could hear Hakkon tense behind him. After years of serving with him he had learnt to listen for the barely audible change in pitch as his processors increased in power.

"See!" the inquisitor pointed at the ceiling, "The abomination listens on every conversation we have!"

"EDI has performed with admiration on this ship. It's done nothing for me to doubt its intent."

The imperials did not look convinced. To Shepard's surprise however, the man backed down.

"This situation is unprecedented. I have no history in dealing with this."

Shepard looked at the man, he was of a much more human scale now without his armour, grey and again. Looking at him now, she realised she was probably taller than him.

Maybe a different tack, she thought. "Listen, before things got . . .strained. I never got the chance to formally introduce myself. I'm commander Shepard of the SR-2 Normandy."

He nodded, accepting this. "You know mine. Inquisitor Eisenmus. This is Magos Hakkon."

Her next question caught him off guard.

"What's your plans from now on?"

"I'm sorry?"

"If you're from where you say you are, what're your plans here?" this was something she genuinely wanted to know. She recalled the armour in the armoury. If she could persuade them, at least ease the distrust. Maybe their technology could give her a boost against the collectors.

Eisenmus shrugged. What was this woman after?

"I don't know. Our intention had been to get back to imperial territory, but that seems futile now." Eisenmus still didn't fully trust the hypothesis, but it was more beneficial to give the impression that he did.

She nodded, turned to the Magos and back. She sighed, "I'm not going to detain you." she saw his eyebrow rise, "Because you didn't know about the AI. But let me make it clear that if we're to get along that's got to slide."

Eisenmus struggled. She was a heretic. Xeno colluder. She harboured AI.

"I offer no apologies for what we did." the only proper answer he could manage.

"you broke into my ship"

"You harbour an AI"

"EDI helps us."

"Never trust AI. They are inhuman by nature."

Shepard shook her head.

The inquisitor's hand was grasping the table. "What's to become of us then?" He fixed her with a stare.

She paused. . . "As I said, I won't detain you. If what we saw in the meeting was true and you guys aren't from around here. . ." She glanced at the Magos. He had said nothing in this entire exchange.

She brought her arm up and made a series of gestures on an orange hologram that appeared around her wrist. The computer terminal next to Eisenmus lit up.

"I'm giving you a connection to the extranet. Have a look and see if you can recognise anything."

"The extranet?"

Shepard was surprised. She knew she shouldn't have been, but it was still a rare occurrence to meet someone that didn't know what the extranet was. She attempted to explain,

"It's . . what we use for information." It'll give you a better understanding of who we are."

He looked suspicious.

"I don't want us to be enemies Eisenmus. But your behavior can't stand. I am willing to let this slide, THIS TIME. I'll put it down to culture shock and that'll be the end of it. But understand this is my ship. And I'll do what I must to protect it"

Eisenmus' mind churned. An ultimatum. A choice. Did they cooperate with heretics, or fight here and die in vain.

After a long hesitation. . ."Your terms are acceptable, I will consider what you've said."

Shepard nodded, "Good."

She turned and left, leaving the two disgruntled imperials.

* * *

><p>Glaedara felt a presence approach from outside the door. It was the monkeigh female.<p>

The door opened. "May I come in?" she asked.

The eldar withdrew her consciousness back to her body. Her extra-sensory awareness faded into obscurity. Her mind calmed. "I do not mind." she replied.

The monkeigh female nodded and entered. She looked round at the other woman. Still hadn't removed her helmet. The hood draped over the helmet. Why bother? Shepard wondered.

Shepard stood slightly in the doorway. The eldar turned her perfect face towards her.

"Apologizes for keeping you here, we had an incident that needed resolving."

The woman was blank faced. Those green eyes were dazzling.

"We'll have proper introductions later on." Shepard managed, dragging her gaze away towards the hooded one. "For now though, there are urgent matters that need my attention. I'm sorry we couldn't talk now."

She turned, then paused. "I want you to know if there's anything you need, just ask the person by the door."

A thin attempt to spy on them, no doubt, Glaedara thought. She nodded, "My thanks, Shepard."

Shepard nodded back, and left.

* * *

><p>The Normandy flew through space, towards the sector's mass relay. As it closed on the great construction, tendrils of energy arced off it and the relay. Blue lightning bounced back and forth as the ancient technologies propelled the ship to fantastic speeds.<p>

In a blink, the Normandy was gone. Catapulted away light years in the blink of an eye.

It's blip disappeared on a computer monitor. The monitor displayed the Herreck system.

A tendril of smoke rose in the air.

The alert had just come in that the Normandy had left the sector's relay. Good.

A series of gestured waved gave the go ahead for an expedition of three ships, two research and an escort, to travel to the relay.

Shortly after, they emerged in streaks of light from the relay. They regrouped and, as one, turned and headed towards the planet designated Charles' Rock.

The illusive man watched this on the monitor. Satisfied that all was well, he turned his attention to other matters, but kept that particular screen active.

He was interested in what they'd uncover. . .

* * *

><p>Factions, histories, maps, ship layouts, planets. . . .<p>

He scanned the through the articles, more browsing than looking for anything specific. Eisenmus and Hakkon stood speechless at the volume of information in front of them. Hakkon had said there must be yottabytes of data. All there. Freely given.

He was awestruck.

"What do you make of this Hakkon?" the inquisitor asked.

The Magos stared into space for a second before responding to him, "I believe they are telling the truth about their origins, lord. The sheer volume of data makes deception very unlikely."

The inquisitor studied what he could.

He searched Humanity.

He was met with millions of articles. This exceeded even his own database. He clicked the first. A new screen displayed a column of text along with several pictures for reference. He read down the page. It described humanity as originating on earth, eventually forming something called the systems alliance.

He read through and digested the articles. They shocked him. Humanity had only achieved space flight a century ago. He sat back in his chair, truly they were at the birth of human civilization in the galaxy.

Which brought his mind back to the xenos. It made them even more unwelcome, these were the early days of interstellar humanity! What right did these aliens have defile this glorious age of the human race?

The pair sat for half an hour just reading, in silence, the recent histories of the human race. Hakkon absorbed the information with frightening speed. He copied everything he deemed suitable into his own databanks. Millions of sites were searched. Among them, technological plans and schematics wrought by xeno engineers. It was inimical to Hakkon that such knowledge should just be left there, for anyone to access.

He copied what he could. The designs were tech heresy, there could be no doubt. But if he brought them back to Mars perhaps they offered clues to discover similar functions in the holy guidelines of the Omnissiah.

Inevitably, their attention turned to the other life in the galaxy.

This inevitably brought them across the citadel council. They read the information, confused. Based on a space station far from Earth. It consisted of a ruling body of xenos that dictated law across the galaxy. They stood, mouths agape. Earth abides by xenos law!

Eisenmus stopped and set the holo-slate device down. He rubbed his head. Emperor preserve us..

What was their next move? he thought. He saw Hakkon, still motionless from absorbing information.

He saw the magos' optics flare back to their normal brightness. He lifted his head to look at the inquisitor. "Lord, request objective update." Hakkon said. No doubt he had seen many, many times what Eisenmus had.

Eisenmus closed his eyes and thought. He tried to clear his head, to think rationally. A prayer to the Emperor was muttered unconsciously.

"I'm not sure how much of this I believe, Hakkon." he replied. "But until we can find a way back to Imperial space it makes no difference. It's despicable, but we are currently at the mercy of these people." Eisenmus scowled. It was not a good situation to be in.

"We keep the course Hakkon - this is distasteful. But we have no choice. We need allies if we are to survive."

"You are not suggesting allying with this Shepard, lord. She is. . "

"Yes! Throne, I know what she is. But I also know what we are." he paused, "We are Three, Hakkon. Without backup or reinforcement, we are vulnerable. We need a patron in this world."

Hakkon stood still. His internal cogitators whirring to figure out the solution. "I will follow your command, lord. But I have deep concerns about this course."

Eisenmus rested his arms on the desk. He did as well. The path to radicalism was one walked in small steps. He was reminded of an ancient proverb, by an ancient scholar on Holy Terra, which he thought most apt at this point.

'Those who play with the devil's toys, will be brought by degrees, to wield his sword.'

Eisenmus was no radical. More liberal in his methods perhaps than his more conservative peers but he never stooped to using the enemy's tools to accomplish the goals of the imperium. Those were solved in faith, steel, and bolt shells.

He turned to his aide "Noted. I share your concerns,"

The two sat in silence.

"What now, lord?"

Eisenmus sat with hands clenched in front to him. The next words were difficult. "We ally with them for now. We have no other choice."

"Where is the line, lord?"

Eisenmus wheeled on his retinue, "I want to make one thing absolutely clear. We may ally with them temporarily. But we will not become them! We are looking for a way back to imperial space, until then, we acquiesce to their demands."

The magos looked impassively at this rare display of emotion from his lord. "It is set, then?"

He sighed. "Just because I'm suggesting it doesn't mean I like it any more than you do."

The tech priest nodded. "Then, what do you command, lord?"

Eisenmus looked at the face of the Magos. The face that had served with him for over 100 years. He smiled. He threw down a holo-slate on the table. It displayed an image of a xeno creature the Magos hadn't seen before.

Correction, hadn't seen but had recently read about.

"The humanity of this time is under threat by these monstrosities. We will work to help Shepard cleanse the galaxy of these. . .collector xeno" he looked into space, " in that matter at least, our goals align. " he brought himself back. "But this matter is secondary to finding a way back to the imperium. I want you working on this. Search their databases for anything that might point us in the right direction."

He remembered Hayt, lying in the medical ward. Someone would have to tell him. He wouldn't like it.

"Leave Shepard to me." he said, "I will speak to her."

* * *

><p>Shepard returned, once again, to Eisenmus' quarters. The report was still unfinished on her desk, she wondered if she could just get Miranda to do it. She'd been told the inquisitor wanted to speak to her. These people were trying her patience, she was in no mood for anything funny. It was too long a day.<p>

She entered, the inquisitor and magos turned as she entered.

"What did you want to talk about?" Shepard asked.

Eisenmus sat at the table, one of the datapads in his hand. It showed an image of a collector.

"Our aid, Shepard" he replied and gestured to the image on the pad's screen. " Our aid in helping you rid humanity of these xenos."

Shepard crossed her arms, this was a strange turn,. "Oh? Now you want to help us? Not so long ago you were breaking into my ship."

His smile stiffened, "Make no mistake, we still harbour judgements over your . . .equipment. But I am a man of practicality, Shepard. My men and I are on a ship, very far from home, with no where to go. In return for your aid, I would offer mine. " he chuckled, remembering something he read about humans of this time, " I believe that's called an alliance."

Shepard studied him, looking for signs of deceit. "Why should I believe you? You've already tried to attack us once. And I know your feelings towards the non humans."

The man's poker face was excellent, not a muscle twitched. Which, however, told Shepard all she needed to know about his feelings. "True. But no different from the people you surround yourself with on this ship. I've read the files on your benefactor, Cerberus."

Shepard considered this. It was true she'd been rescued by Cerberus, yes. But she didn't have to like it.

"I'm after the best the galaxy has to offer. What makes you think you'll make the cut?"

Eisenmus chuckled. "Shepard, we were in the inquisition. You may not know of us, but we took the last and sometimes only defence humanity had against the dark. You will not find us wanting."

She nodded her head. She thought of her upcoming mission. Let's see how serious they are, "Are you serious about helping me stop the collectors?

"Yes Shepard." Eisenmus lied.

She paused before nodding. "Alright. If you're serious then we have a mission coming up, to retrieve some intel related to the collectors from a mercenary base. ETA to mission is about 2 hours. I want you and your friend down in the hangar bay ready for the mission. I'll pass along details the closer to the drop time."

Eisenmus bowed his head. "Understood Shepard."

Shepard nodded and left.

* * *

><p>Surface of Lorek, Fathar system,<p>

The shuttle descended over the base. It slowed as it approached the landing pad. The thrusters on either side levelled off as the craft touched down. The exterior hatch opened and the occupants exited the vehicle.

Inquisitor Eisenmus clanged off the ramp, followed by Hakkon, his robes flapping in the wind. He carried his Lascarbine, his movements twitchy. Someone might think he was afraid, Eisenmus knew better. His sensors were scanning the entire area for hostile activity. His mechadendrites moved in unison with his vision, almost giving the impression of a spider like creature.

Also accompanying them was the human woman, Miranda, and the xenos doctor that called itself Mordin Solus. Eisenmus felt uneasy that he was forced to work alongside the xenos, but what choice did he have? He had instructed Hakkon to keep an eye on the doctor, for any sign of treachery. After all, the rewards of xenos collusion were often death.

They approached the facility in formation, Shepard issuing commands over the intercom. A metal ramp and gantry led to the entrance of the facility. A small metal bulkhead in the side of a mountain. As they reached the top, they heard Hakkon.

"Be advised. I detect hostile life signs within the facility. 23 unknown xenos signatures and 4 human signatures. They are spread across multiple rooms within the structure."

"Acknowledged." Shepard responded as she slammed up beside the entrance doorway. Behind her, the vast bulk of the Inquisitor and the insect like Hakkon advanced up the ramp.

"I detect 14 signatures on the other side of the entrance." Hakkon barked over the comm.

"Ok, Eisenmus, you open the door. Hakkon, you support him. Miranda and Mordin, you cover both sides of the entranceway."

"A chorus of ayes and acknowledged" came back to her. She heard Miranda get into position behind her and saw Mordin on the other side of the entrance. Eisenmus strode up to the door in his massive armour.

Then Shepard realised, we haven't given him an omnitool! He can't open the door!

She cursed herself for being so stupid and was about to signal for Mordin to open the door when she heard the Inquisitor over the comm,

"Breaching door Shepard, may the Emperor be with us!" Eisenmus then clenched a massive armoured fist and smashed it into the door. It went straight through, he then clasped it and ripped it off its frame and strode into the room, Hakkon hot on his heels.

Shepard stood there immobilised for a few moments at what she just seen, he just ripped the damn door off!

"What the fuck is that thing!?"

"Shoot it! Shoot it now!"

Desperate shouts and screams from inside the compound snapped Shepard back into focus. She signalled to Miranda and Mordin to advance. They ran in and took cover behind one of the low pieces of machinery dotted about the room.

To Shepard, the room was a scene of chaos.

It was a low industrial room, utilitarian and functional. Several doors like the entrance led off to different areas of the facility.

The room was, now, thick with corpses.

Shepard glimpsed over her cover and saw the mass of Eisenmus engaging the enemy. The giant moved faster than something that big should be allowed to move. He smashed through the little cover the eclipse mercs had taken refuge behind and brought his fist down on a salarian, pulping his skull on the ground. He then brought the weapon on his wrist to bear on another group behind a stack of crates.

Their shots simply pinged off his armour as he opened fire. The bark of the weapon was deafening, the area where the mercs had been hiding exploded in a shower of detonations. He ran forward, through the hail of gunfire towards the group. Just before he arrived he had drawn the great sword at his waist. Shepard watched at it sprang to life with a blue electric glow and was brought down on the group slicing them from head to thigh.

Shepard looked round. She saw the Magos Hakkon fighting the mercs. Shepard had assumed him a researcher or scientist and had been hesitant to bring him along. She had been persuaded by Miranda who said that they needed to get to know the combat potential of every member of their team.

The Magos was a whirlwind of death. Only now could she see that each of his extra mechanical limbs was armed. They flew about him, targeting mercs in front or behind. Shepard saw lasers being fired (fucking lasers!) from the upper limbs while he used the lower ones as extended legs to move about the battlefield with frightening speed. One of his limbs grabbed a merc from behind cover and threw him across the room, another reconfigured itself into a spike and impaled another target through the head, his kinetic barriers failed utterly.

"Machine spirits, guide me!" Shepard heard him yell as he fired his laser weapon into another target, kinetic barriers offering no protection against energy weapons.

"None escapes the Emperor's justice!" Eisenmus said, slicing another merc in two across the chest. 'Arrgh!''

"ARrrggg. . crunch!" Eisenmus' huge metal boot stamped on the chest of the last remaining enemy. The mercs had been slaughtered, it had been over in a matter of moments. The room was a complete slaughterhouse.

"Area Clear!" she heard Eisenmus call out.

Shepard cursed herself for her performance, they were supposed to be evaluating them, and she had hid behind cover like a damned civvie. Although, judging by Miranda's and Mordin's faces, they had experienced the same.

"Acknowledged." She said over the intercom, " move towards the next door. Form up."

"Aye Shepard!"

The team continued through the facility, Eisenmus leading the way, providing cover with his bulk. They encountered light resistance here and there. They quickly mopped it up.

They arrived at the room they were looking for.

"Hold here! Shepard commanded 'this is it" She unlocked the door with her omnitool and it slid open.

It looked like an operating room. . and it was slick with blood. On a bed in the corner lay the body of a man, the Cerberus agent no doubt. She entered the room and walked up to the computer terminal and booted it up.

"It's not pretty" said Miranda.

"Cerberus agent captured." Mordin blabbered in his rushed tones, "Found by eclipse. Tortured, murdered. Information likely valuable."

Shepard found what she was looking for in the computer and uploaded it to the Normandy's systems.

"EDI, you getting this?" she asked

Eisenmus stiffened at the mention of the AI. Hakkon had protested furiously at the reactivation of the AI, but he managed to calm him down. Eisenmus shared the Magos' fears, but they had been ignored and dismissed calmly by Shepherd. Eisenmus did not approve, but he had warned them and that was the best he could achieve for now.

"This computer contains the encrypted intelligence extracted from the Cerberus agent. The information could adversely affect Cerberus if it were ever circulated publicly." EDI said over the comm. Shepard pulled out the data from the computer.

Hmm. . .suppose not, Shepard thought. It wouldn't be good for Cerberus if the public thought they were working with the collectors.

She responded, "We'll keep the data for now, as much as I like to see Cerberus take a hit publicly I don't think it'll help our credibility if we release this to the public yet."

"Of course Shepard." replied the AI. Shepherd walked away from the computer terminal, back to the team.

"Seems we're done here." she gestured, "We're moving out."

The team made their way back to the landing pad. Past the carnage they had inflicted on the mercenaries. Shepard was experienced in warfare, she had seen death countless times. But the brutality of these Imperials was unnerving. Mercenaries had been crushed, blasted, stabbed, in some cases ripped apart. It made her sick looking at some of the corpses.

That said, after seeing them in action, she couldn't doubt they meant business. If they performed half as well against the collectors, she'd be stupid not to get them on the team. Her gaze wandered to the multitude of weapons carried by the Magos. She had to get him to share some of his tech, laser rifles alone would give them a critical advantage.

"Inquisitor!" she called. The vast bulk of his armour hissed and turned towards her.

"I had my doubts about your combat proficiency." she nodded, "Not any more."

The inquisitor smiled back and nodded, with a silver voice so alien to the carnage around them. "I'm grateful for your confidence, Shepard. The Emperor protects."

She still found it strange they clung to their religion so rigidly, even here. She shook her head. Must be one of the only familiar things they have. . .

She followed her team through the ruin of the front entranceway out into the light. They embarked on the shuttle and with a blast of thrust it sped off into the sky, leaving an corpse filled, wrecked ruin behind.

* * *

><p>Glaedara winced as she fought the light. Tried to break through. She had been at it for hours, and had learnt the flows and ebbs in its radiance she could exploit.<p>

A passage opened. She flew in, struggling to keep it open. Just a little bit further!

This was taking a toll on her. She hadn't exerted herself like this since the duel with the daemon. She could feel the pressures mount on her as the barriers she erected were blasted with the sigil's psychic force.

Just a look! she thought. If I can only look beyond the veil!

Driven by desperation, she pulled every last ounce of strength she could. Her barriers held, barely. The light was seeping through.

She was almost there! Almost. . .

Her warp defences ready, she tried once more. She strained her sight, filter it! She commanded, filter it!

Another ebb in the current. She jumped at the chance.

She broke through! Her sight piercing the warp beyond the light.

What she saw, shocked her. "What?. . . ." she froze at her discovery.

In that moment of weakness. her defences collapsed and her mind's sight was thrown back into her body. She collapsed on the floor, reeling from the abrupt return.

The ranger quickly hurried over and helped her to her feet. "Farseer!" She accepted her help and managed to stand.

She looked at the ranger, her face unreadable beneath the helmet.

She tried to speak, her voice barely recovered, "That's not possible. . . ."


	4. Fall of Purgatory

_Author's note: Behold, content!_

_As of now the update schedule for this story is every Saturday fortnight. I experimented with a weekly schedule earlier but it was too inconvenient._

_Another point, though I consider myself reasonably knowledgeable about how space combat works in the mass effect universe, I have never written about it until now. If there's any boffins out there that can point out flaws or missed points just let me know so I can get any mistakes ironed out for future chapters._

_As ever, the more critical reviews tend to be the best ones, so don't hold back._

_Continued. . . _

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4 - The Fall of Purgatory<strong>

Glaedara wrestled with her breathing. She fought to bring it back under control. She could feel the ranger holding her upright. She was looking at her.

"Farseer?" the ranger asked again. "What's impossible? What do you mean?"

She looked at her ranger.

"The warp. . . she breathed again. . . .it's silent."

The ranger was confused. "what do you mean?"

The farseer looked at her. She had never seen her eyes so wide. "There is no movement. No currents, no . . . nothing." she gazed into empty space.

"There was . . nothing, Eleiyra. Just infinite stillness." she paused, as if unwilling to say what she thought. "I couldn't feel the tug of she who thirsts."

Eleiyra almost dropped the farseer. What did she just say? Every eldar who delved into the warp felt the pull, it was the shared burden felt by their entire race.

It can't just be gone!

Glaedara's head spun. The feeling of emptiness it left inside her grew. She tried to suppress it, it was too strong. She heard her ranger speak, she was saying something. The farseer couldn't make it out. She couldn't hear the ranger any more.

With barely suppressed dread, she slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>Captain Barc was a batarian, a batarian in charge of a slave ship.<p>

He was running this sector for colonies - the council's suppression of slave trade meant that newer stock was in higher demand.

And fetched a nice price

New, untouched human colonies were out here. Barc decided to give them the run round, see what he could find.

He jumped into a sector containing supposedly several of them, spread out on the planets.

What he didn't expect, was the Cerberus cruiser waiting for them. Sent by the illusive man with the new research fleet to investigate the strange cathedral like structure on Charles' Rock

It had taken up position next to the sector relay, as part of the new Cerberus Outsider cell. It's orders were to prevent any more ships interrupting their activity. It had scanned the batarian vessel as soon as it appeared and recognised it as a batarian slave ship.

Batarian attacks on humans had increased ever since they'd withdrawn from the council over their jealousy at humanity's new position. The captain needed no further excuse. Without warning or discourse, it opened fire.

A mass propelled projectile tore through space towards the batarians. It impacted on the ship's kinetic barriers. The barriers strained under the blow but held, doing their job.

The impact still shook the batarians. The crew was thrown around the interior of their ship. On the bridge Captain Barc steadied himself.

"Report!" he yelled at his bridge crew.

"Picking up one cruiser class vessel. IFF marks it as human."

Barc grunted. Humans. . he thought. It would be humans wouldn't it? To fire first and ask questions later.

The ship reeled under another impact. Barc felt the shockwave through the bridge.

"Sir, unknown ship possesses cruiser class weaponry. We can't hold up to that!"

Barc wasn't stupid. His slave ship was heavily armed, upgraded with a little extra of his own, personal modifications. It could easily a match for a vessel his size. But against a cruiser he was completely outmatched. He didn't have the armour to go toe to toe.

He thought again of the colonist rich worlds settled out here by the alliance. he hit his armrest

"Argh! Get us back through the relay, now! Fraj, if any weapons can fire, fire them!"

"Aye sir." replied the tac-officer and his ship's weapons systems came online.

His ship's turrets swivelled and a stream of projectiles zoomed towards the Cerberus cruiser. They impacted on its barriers, with no lasting effect.

The batarian ship flipped vertically in space and ignited its engines towards the relay. Another hit from the cruiser blasted part of its hull.

They couldn't take much more, Barc could feel his ship struggling. If the engines failed now. . .

"Sir, ready to jump!"

"Jump!" he ordered and his ship zoomed away from the combat at a terrific speed, propelled by the ancient relay.

Barc slumped in his chair. Around him were the sounds of repair. He looked out of the view screen in front of him. Nothing but the swirling vortex of the relay jump path.

It reappeared an hour later, at another relay. One of the nearest to the one they just jumped from, the Osun relay. They couldn't afford a longer jump, their drive core already dangerously charged being used so soon after another relay jump. Any further and they risked the core overloading and tearing the ship apart.

As they exited, an alert pinged on the bridge.

"Sir, picking up another an vessel in the inner system."

Barc frowned, it couldn't be the human ship, there was no way they could've got here before them.

"Is it the human ship?" He felt tension rise within him

The officer deliberated, then replied. the relief plain on his face "Negative. IFF identifies it as the Purgatory, a prison ship."

A prison ship? Barc thought. He snorted and shook his head, the universe had a strange sense of humour.

"Gealde?" he asked the officer

"Yes, sir?"

"Take us in," he ordered, an idea forming, "We could get our quota after all."

The ship's thrusters fired, pointing it in-system. The engines flared and the ship sped towards its new target.

* * *

><p>The space station Purgatory was a prison. A prison with the most effective escape prevention ever devised.<p>

Nothing.

Literally nothing. Billions of miles of nothing. After purgatory the nearest habitable world was dozens of light-years away.

Freezing and asphyxiation had a habit of re-evaluating prisoners' attitude to escape.

It floated in the absolute void. Ponderously gliding through empty space. The engines were disabled, only activated when they needed to make a pit stop or travelling through a relay.

At one end of the station, in a section far removed from the prisoner blocks, Foreman Kuril watched a peculiar dot on the station's scanning display. It had just emerged from their relay, and was closing in on the station.

Strange, there shouldn't be any ships in-system at this time. He rose from his command chair and walked over to the central control island in the CIC. He looked at the readings displayed on the monitors.

The CIC was a large room of efficient bare metal. In here, the very ribs of the ship were visible. Brazen bulkheads were dotted around the entranceways. Monitoring equipment crowded the room.

It took six people to work the CIC. An impressively low number for a vessel of this size. Though, it helps when there isn't much to do other than keep an eye on cattle.

.He looked at his captain, standing near the other end of the table.

"Captain? he asked. "Classification?"

His captain, Parach, was a turian he trusted. His second in command on the Purgatory, he had served with him at C-sec, joined the blue suns together, now they ran the station together. The turian shifted his head to read the information, "Batarian IFF. Heavy frigate class. sir."

His maniples twitched, the foreman never liked it when they twitched. The foreman grunted, "Do they have an appointment with us? Are they regulars?"

Parach checked the station's 'customer manifests'.

He shook his head, his omni tool still held before him. "No sir. We've never seen them before."

Kuril looked over to the comm officer. "Open a channel." The salarian nodded in return. He looked back at the offending blip on the scanner screen. "What the hell are they doing?"

"Comm is a go." the officer replied. Kuril keyed in a channel to the vessel.

"This is the prison ship Purgatory to batarian vessel. Please state your intent."

Static, No response. He looked back to the comm officer, who shook his head.

He leaned on the control table, "I repeat this is the prison ship purgatory to batarian vessel. Please state your intent."

He turned to the foreman, "No good, sir. I'm reading no activity from their comm-line."

The warden frowned. This didn't look good.

The ship closed the distance. It seemed intent on intercepting with the station.

"This is Foreman Kuril of the Purgatory. Batarian vessel, identify yourselves or you will not be permitted access to my station!"

A voice crackled through from the other ship " With respect, foreman, you can't do anything about it. We only want a couple hundred of your filth. What do you care, they're the scum of the galaxy."

Kuril grunted. Another one of these people. "They're my scum dammit. Like hell I'm letting you anywhere near my property!"

Laughing from the other end. " This isn't necessary. Stand down and you won't be harmed. Resist. . .and we'll blow the station. Your choice." the transmission ended.

"Scramble the fighters." the warden ordered. A chorus of ayes responded to his commands.

This wasn't the first time he'd protected his livelihood.

"Parach, I want response teams on alert, all levels. Seal off the outer blocks. Initiate station lockdown."

"Aye sir."

The tac officer responded, "Sir, fighters in the air. Are heading to engage enemy."

Kuril looked at the tac screen. He wasn't holding out much hope, the fighters probably wouldn't do much against a relatively well armed slave ship.

* * *

><p>The station's fighters peeled out from their landing bays. They oriented towards the unknown and screamed through the empty void. They registered the newcomer and flicked their weapon safeties off. There were only a couple dozen of them. They had no intelligence about the enemy ship.<p>

They closed in, the enemy vessel just coming up as a point in their view. It grew as they approached it. The pilots heard no noise save the roaring of their craft's engines. Their huds highlighted its location on their helmets' visors. Target's were locked. Weapons were armed. Barriers were activated.

They closed in on the unknown ship. Ready to fire! Then the lead craft was destroyed with a short laser blast.

"Shit! They got GUARDIANS! Peel off!" the squad leader yelled.

The squadron leader broke off with his fighters. Another got swatted from space by the guardian system. The squadron leader zoomed past the wreckage of his former pilot. His view screen was peppered with debris.

The range was extreme for GUARDIAn defences. They must have been upgraded. The squadron leader swore,

"Listen up!" the squadron leader yelled through the comm. The enemy ship still in view.

"Lance one take the bow , lance two follow me! We take the stern. Split the fire. Opposite dorsal velocities. Break!"

His pilots followed their orders without question. A series of acknowledgements returned to him as he flicked the controls of his craft. he braced as the g-forces flung him to one side. He was experienced though and remained in control.

Like a flock of birds the fighter swarm split into two divisions. One headed to the front of the vessel, the other to the back. They circled round the batarian ship, keeping a distance from the GUARDIANs.

As one, the two groups spun and converged on the ship.

The GUARDIAN fired. Another fighter blew itself to pieces under the heat. Its fellows pressed onwards, shrieking past it.

Engines squealed under the stress. Eezo drives burned hot. External heat sinks glowed red in the blackness of space, giving each fighter dual menacing eyes. Eyes that bore down on the ship.

Only now could they see for themselves the detail of the ship. It looked heavily modified. Armour and weapons were attached to the hull. It had looked like a heavy corvette but the upgrades had given it the unwieldy bulk of a cruiser. In several places it looked like it had been in combat.

The pilots had on a split second to process this before the order came through.

"Fire torpedoes!" The squadron leader yelled. With a shudder of his fighter craft, the torpedo in the tube fired away towards the ship. The craft beside him did the same. He banked off, his torpedo making its way towards the target.

The fighters, now forgotten by the guardian systems, broke off for another attack run. Only a couple of torpedoes had made it through, the rest being shot down by larger groups of close range guardian fire.

he looked at the scans of the enemy vessel. He swore. Minimal damage.

Its got more GUARDIANS covering the extreme close ranges. he thought. He took a note of the shot down missiles. They wheeled around again, trying to get an angle on the batarian craft. All the while, it was closing on the station.

He switched several controls. "Fighters four, six and seven break off and commence new attack vector. Lateral approach, port side."

"Aye sir." came the replies and his scanner showed the three craft break off and wheel around the ship. They came at it again, firing torpedoes, with much the same result.

He swore as he saw the first team get slightly too close. In a burst a couple more fighters disappeared in coronas of gas and dust as the GUARDIANs picked them out.

"Dammit! Stay clear of the guardians!" he looked at the roster. Nine craft had perished. He had sixteen left.

He tallied up their combat damage. They couldn't get through the point defence!

Another fighter got unlucky and exploded from another laser hit. The missile it fired getting shot down moments later.

He looked at his squad's stock of missiles, just over half capacity. Falren wasn't a coward but nor was he stupid. he saw they were having no effect on this ship. He gave the order.

"Warden, we're getting pummelled out here, request permission to withdraw."

Back on the station, the warden clenched the command table. His knuckles hurt.

He gritted his teeth. "Alright, withdraw Falren. Save your men."

"Yes sir!" came the relieved reply from the squadron leader. " Breaking off now!"

The warden punched the table. A minor crack appeared in the surface. His knuckles really hurt now. On the monitor above Kuril he saw the green dots of his fighter craft pull back from the newcomer's ship.

They'd have to resist them on the station. Kuril stood up behind his table. He watched as the ship slowly moved towards the station.

* * *

><p>Klaxons blared. The deck shook imperceptibly beneath his feet. Foreman Kuril had been on the station for long enough to feel the faint vibration of a ship docking.<p>

"Where'd they dock?" he asked his captain.

The captain looked down at a monitor. "Port Airlock C-32. We're getting reports of intense gunfire from that area."

"Shit!" he swore. "Put the station on alert. I want teams down there now! Bring down squads from E block.

"Yes sir." The captain nodded.

The warden grabbed the intercom mic.

"This is warden Kuril." his voice rang throughout the interior of the ship. "Slaver scum have attacked the station. All guards to stations! Send these bastards back to space!"

He threw the mic down and armed his weapon. A scatter shotgun, useful for inter-ship fighting. Very little chance of missing in cramped corridors.

"Sir!" his tac officer called. "I've got video feeds of batarians making their way towards the CIC. They're taking out surveillance along the way, but looks like a couple dozen sir!"

The warden nodded. "Parach, you have the CIC. I'm going to welcome our guests."

"Yes sir. Good hunting." The other turian turned round to the tac officer, started yelling orders. Warden Kuril was already outside of the CIC. The chaos of the officers left behind him. He spied two guards outside,

"You and you, come with me." they obeyed. Fell in behind him. He keyed in his omni tool. "Sergeant Pallal, I want your squad at bulkhead M-2 now. We've got a raiding party trying to storm the CIC."

"Yes sir. On our way, sir!" came the reply. Kuril heard gunfire in the background of the transmission. Bulkhead M-2 was a choke point. One of many on the station. Each wing was separated by small narrow kill zones for effective control of the populace.

The warden strode through his station. He noted with pride the speed with which his orders were being enforced. The prisoners howled in their cells like the animals they were. Some pounded on the glass. Some sat quietly, watching. He enlisted any guards he could find along the way. When he reached the bulkhead, his squad numbered over ten guards.

He began barking orders,

"I want you and you covering that door. No-one not wearing blue gets through!" he pointed to another three. " You lot. Get some crates, don't care where from. I want this area turned into a kill zone."

A shout came from behind him. A prisoner fell forward through the doorway, shot in the back by something. A moment later, a batarian, no doubt eager for his capture ran towards the prone man.

His head exploded. Smoke issued from one of the high powered rifles Kuril's men were carrying. His limp body slumped over his would be quarry.

Kuril looked at his men. "Get a fucking move on! GO!"

* * *

><p>Far from the conflict surrounding the station, the systems' relay activated again.<p>

The Normandy appeared back below lightspeed, eezo induced lightning arcing off its hull. It reoriented itself and made a course for the Purgatory.

Joker was sitting in the cockpit. He brought up the comm system, keyed in the correct channel. "Prison ship Purgatory, this is the Normandy requesting permission to dock."

No response.

Strange, he thought, we should be well within range. He heard someone come up behind him, it was Shepard.

He repeated the transmission. The same result.

He shrugged and looked over his shoulder, "Something's up commander."

"Put me though." she said.

He shrugged again and recalled the station, he nodded for her to start.

She leaned in over his chair, "This is commander Shepard of the SR-2 Normandy. We request permission to dock."

They got a response.

"Shepard? Shit, I forgot you." The transmission was choppy, with gunfire in the background. Static for a second. "This is Warden Kuril of the Purgatory, my XO just relayed this transmission through to me. Shepard listen, the station's under attack by slavers! They've cut the power to several sections. Between them and a full scale uprising we're in dire straits here." more gunfire.

She nodded, "Understood. Where do you need us?"

"Dock at airlock A-23. Ahhh, hold on.. ." BOOM! "My forces are concentrated around the main admin areas. Several of the station's wings are overrun with prisoners! We need to ." . .bang, kafoom!. . . *klaxons* "Aww SHIT!. . ." he grunted.

"What happened?" Shepard asked.

The transmission became more broken. "power to cryo just went. Your pet prisoner's loose, Shepard! We need help. NOW!"

"Understood. Hold out until we reach you."

"Much appreciated Shepard. Consider yourselves getting a discount." he cut the line.

Shepard stood up. "Joker, full speed to the station. Get EDI to run anything she can about what we're up against." she was already moving out of the cockpit.

"Understood, commander." Joker replied as he threw all available power at the engines. He heard the slight change in pitch and subtle acceleration. The Normandy blasted towards the inner system.

* * *

><p>A line of projectiles pinged off the cover he was using.<p>

A guard went down beside him. He didn't bother to save him, most of his face was missing.

Kuril was thinking. This was a turn of events. Shepard. . .that damned human.

He peeked over the cover and fired off a rain of shots. He darted back. He winced as his shield took a couple of hits.

He was originally going to ransom her off. With that much money he could really start to do some good in the galaxy, expand his operations beyond the terminus systems, another base of operations, hundreds of further criminals out of the way. . .

An explosion sounded somewhere in the distance. The damned prisoners had probably looted explosives off the batarians. He peeked over cover and shot a prisoner running across his field of view. He ducked under again. A stream of fresh projectiles was their reply.

A projectile buried itself in the ground next to him. Another prisoner went down.

A batarian came into view, the bodies were starting to pile up. He and his men were in a good position defending the main areas. What worried him was the thousands of prisoners, thousands of credit lines, being scooped up by the batarians. He couldn't afford to lose this many, his work was unravelling around him!

He snarled as he shot another prisoner who fell flat. This day was a complete shitstorm.

* * *

><p>Shepard calculated. She knew Jacob and Zaeed were already kitted out for the mission. This had supposed to have been a simple pickup, but now she needed more firepower.<p>

She ran to Garrus and Mordin and told them to get suited up for combat. They acknowledged her order, and quickly got to work.

The Normandy closed on the station, bringing the massive structure into view for the first time. Shepard returned to the cockpit. In front of her the holo screen showed the Purgatory. She could make out the batarian ship attached to the station, an ugly conglomeration of disparate parts and hulls.

"Targeting slave ship, commander." Joker said, masterfully flipping the controls.

"No!" Shepard objected. She saw the ship was docked with the station, she had no idea how long they'd been there for. She looked back at Joker, "No telling how many slaves they've got on board. Can't just destroy the ship."

"Shit!" Joker said, he cancelled the target lock. "Didn't think of that."

"Could you take out the engines from here?" she asked. She kept an eye on the info coming in from the station.

"Not without risk of destroying it commander," he replied.

Shepard swore.

"Ok, just cover it and make sure it can't escape. We'll have to clear out the station manually." she turned to leave, but halted, "how soon until we dock?"

"About 3 minutes, commander." Joker replied.

"Good." She said and left the cockpit, she keyed in the comm. "This is Shepard to team members. Get to the airlock! We're leaving now!"

* * *

><p>The normandy matched speed with the station. Its sleek form darted up alongside the leviathan construction of the Purgatory. Manuvering thrusters sounded. Its velocity slowed to a crawl, until it was just inching along beside it, like a mollusc alongside a whale.<p>

It passed over the airlock section. Codes and handshakes were exchanged and a walkway extended, aerial like, out to the Normandy. Magnetic clamps secured themselves to the station. Green lights flashed. Docking warnings sounded all clear.

Shepard's team was moving along the pathway, the bridge between the two ships. They took up position in the airlock, covering the far door. Sounds of tortured metal issued from the other side of the bulkhead.

"Joker, we're in position. Open the far airlock"

"Aye aye commander." came the reply and the door in front of them opened with a hiss of pressurized air.

Shepard signaled for the team to move forward. They complied. They spread out into the room beyond, weapons tracing the line of the room, seeking threats.

The room beyond the airlock was empty. But noises filtered through from the rest of the structure. They felt screams and explosions through the decking. They moved to cover the entrance to the rest of the station.

"We head to the admin area." Shepard commanded. "We keep moving! If we get pinned down, we get swarmed over."

A chorus of acknowledgements returned.

She nodded to her team. "Alright. Open the door."

Garrus flicked with his omni-tool and the door opened. The sounds of struggle amplified. As they moved through the doorway Shepard saw several escapees running in the distance. Beside her, Zaeed took aim. She knocked his gun off target.

"Engage only if they're armed. They're prisoners, and they have rights."

Zaeed grunted, "Bullshit! The things these people have done. . ."

"Doesn't mean we're executioners." she pointed to a stairwell that led to an upper corridor. It was glass lined. Further along the corridor she saw several station guards engaging escaped prisoners.

"Move on!" she said. The squad fell in behind her. They ascended the stairs, around them were the yells and thunderings of a prison riot. Men were beating on their cell walls. Guards were fighting for their lives, the prisoners having scavenged weapons from their fallen comrades.

It was chaos.

The team burst through the doors at the top of the stairs, Shepard was grateful for the warden's access codes. They emerged behind two inmates firing on a guard. They had him pinned down further down the corridor.

Garrus shot the first, a human, in the back. He crumpled. His friend only had time to register his companion fall before his head was blown off by Zaeed. The suppressed station guard cautiously poked his head round.

"Come on out! We're friendly" Jacob yelled.

The guard looked at them. His mind was turning, they weren't blue suns but they certainly weren't prisoners. Not with that gear! They weren't batarians either.

"Who are you?" he yelled back.

"Commander Shepard of the Normandy." Shepard replied. They didn't have time for this, she thought, they needed to be getting further on. "Your warden said you were under attack by slavers, we're here to help."

"Thank the spirits," The guard nodded, accepting this. If they had meant harm. They'd probably be shooting at each other by now. He stood up and made his way over to them.

Shepard looked at the turian, "Tell us how to get to the central admin area."

"Central area, uhh right." he looked round. "Follow this corridor down the spine of the ship. He pointed. Head for the very far end. Shepard followed his finger. "You can't miss it. The area's a warzone!"

"The slavers?" Shepard asked, looking back at him.

More gunfire in the background. He twitched his head to the source, but it was far off. The guard nodded again. "Shortly after docking they blew the power to the cells. All the prisoners are out. It's fucking chaos."

"Why can't we get the nice easy assignments?" Garrus asked.

Shepard keyed her comm bead, "EDI you there?"

"Yes Shepard."

"Do you have any information on the situation around the central admin area?"

A pause. Then, "From the Normandy's scanners, I am detecting a very high number of miniature mass effect field fluctuations that match weapons fire. I urge caution, Shepard." the voice betraying no emotion.

"Noted." she cut the link and turned back to the turian guard.

"What's your name?"

"Uhh, Yannec."

Shepard ejected the half spent heat sink from her weapon. "Well, Yannec you're welcome to come along. Just keep up."

The turian nodded his head. Gripped his weapon. "I've no intention of staying here."

* * *

><p>In stark contrast to the conflict on the Purgatory, the Normandy was almost silent.<p>

The newcomers had remained on the ship, where Kelly had been given the task of interviewing them. Security had increased after Hakkon's incident with EDI, which still had to be resolved.

In the debriefing room, Kelly looked at the newcomer. He sat across the table from her. She noted his silver beard and hair. He seemed uncomfortable in the clothes he was given. It was a Cerberus officer's uniform, she noted the strange icon that he had hung around his neck. A medallion in the shape of a stylised I. A pendant? Piece of jewellery maybe?

She had read the reports Shepard had given her, she had seen the cam footage from the internal systems. To say she was excited was an understatement. She had never dreamt of anything like this. Yes, she had joined Cerberus to do some good for humanity and to see other areas of the galaxy. . .

But now she was given the task of interviewing an entirely unknown people. her excitement was brimming. She felt she was smiling. She tried to calm herself, reminding herself that these people may just be part of a more secretive part of the alliance. She hoped that wasn't the case.

Across the table, Eisenmus looked at the excitable red haired girl in front of him. He sighed inwardly, this was a farce. These people possessed an AI watching their every move and they called them crazed? Eisenmus didn't understand.

He looked behind the girl to the woman standing behind her. The brazenly attractive one. The one seemingly engrossed in her data-slate. She was the real interviewer here. Eisenmus noted. She would observe his reactions to the girl's questions. Removed, she could notice much more than if she was in the subject's direct gaze. Her looks were a deliberate asset to this, men were more inclined to underestimate those with a pretty face.

He had utilized such techniques himself.

But most of his thoughts were elsewhere. The date. . .the date was worrying. Yes the warp was unstable at the best of times but surely a jump of that magnitude was impossible?

He reminded himself. Habitable planet, out of the endless cosmos.

He sighed. Something didn't add up. The statistics. . . his very existence spat in the face of statistics.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by the girl,

"Ok," she said. Putting whatever she was writing on down. "Now, where so we begin?"

Eisenmus looked at her. Her cheerful attitude, her informal tone.

"Ok, I'll start then. I'm Kelly Chambers and I'll just be asking you a few questions?"

He clasped his hands in front of him. "Is this an interrogation?" he asked flatly.

"No! No no no" the girl's head violently moved from side to side. "I just want to try to get a better understanding of you and your friends. We've never met anyone like you before. Well no one has!"

Eisenmus scoffed. Struck by the novel experience of these people not knowing who he was and what authority he once possessed.

"Of that, I am sure." he replied. He noticed a quick glance from the woman behind, calculating.

The girl in front of him continued. "Well, you have my name but I don't have yours yet?" she inquired.

He looked at her, he would answer her questions and co-operate with her questions. She was experienced, and likely reveal more about these people than another, more experienced interviewer would.

He thought again of the woman standing behind her.

"My name is Geralt Derran Eisenmus the second." he replied, "of house Corrinii."

Her eyes lit up, "House Corinii? What is that, your family name?"

"That is my family house. The Corinii were a minor noble house on the planet Wayneburg."

The other woman's eyebrow raised, "What are they, aristocrats or something?"

He considered the term, it was a fair comparison, "A rough approximation, yes." he replied.

Miranda frowned. "Doesn't seem that fair to the people beneath you."

The man shrugged, "It's been that way for millennia. Its the most effective means of government for stability."

"I'd call it unfair and exclusive to the rich. How can a society function like that?"

He shrugged again, "it does. I've thousands of years of history to back up my claims."

Miranda studied the man, turned to Kelly. "Back to the questions."

"oh right," she glanced at her datapad again. " Ok, second question, oh looks like you've partly answered this one. Where did you come form?"

"You already know I come from Wayneburg. It is one of the countless worlds that make up the Imperium."

"Ah, you mentioned that before, what's the Imperium?"

Eisenmus recalled back to his great nation.

"The Imperium is the largest empire the galaxy has ever seen, ruling over a million worlds."

"A million worlds!" Kelly exclaimed. Miranda's eyebrow lifted.

"Surely that's an exaggeration." Miranda said. It would be impossible to govern that big a nation."

"True, no one know for sure how many worlds are in the Imperium. Many are founded or are lost before we even know what's going on. The last count put it roughly at just over a million."

Kelly was in awe. "Imagine the cultures that that big of a nation would encompass. Just think of all the different species that we don't even know about.

His face hardened. "you misunderstand me. The Imperium of Man is the nation of Humanity. There are no aliens in the Imperium."

Miranda shook her head, "That's improbable. There's no way that humans can be the only species. We barely made it out of the solar system and we encountered dozens.

He grinned wryly, "No, you misunderstand again. Humanity has encountered alien life. Thousands of species have been catalogued. The Imperium remains human because it doesn't tolerate alien life."

The shock was apparent on kelly's face, "But you said you catalogued thousands of cultures!"

"True, though thankfully most of those species are either dead or domesticated."

"you killed them? . . "

"Suffer not the xenos to live." he quoted, "One of the core tenants of the Imperium. We have not encountered alien life that has not proven treacherous later on down the line. As a consequence, we do not permit it any more."

"Why do the people allow it?" Miranda asked.

"Allow it? They celebrate it!" he replied. This was strange, he was being asked why imperial citizens should allow the Imperium to continue its duty to protect the human race.

"Its necessary." he continued, "Without the fleets and armies of the Imperium, the human race would have been destroyed by alien or chaos influence millennia ago."

"Sounds like a dictatorship." Miranda replied.

"Some worlds are. Each world mostly governs itself, there are dictatorships, feudalisms, theocracies, monarchies and even the odd democracy. Each is united under the banner of the Imperium."

"Most of your planets aren't democratic?" Miranda asked. This was very unusual. Nearly all species the citadel had encountered had naturally evolved largely democratic governmental models. There were several scientific papers on the inevitability and natural evolution of democracy as a means of co-operation and advancement.

The inquisitor looked at her. "I am a learned man, XO Miranda. I have studied politics at the finest institutions on Wayneburg. Democracy is dependant on the will of the people, who choose leaders by vote. This ensures that only the most average, non committal people rise to leadership, in an attempt to sway the opinion of the largest section of the populace. This can prove disastrous in an emergency."

Miranda nodded, "True, but the benefits to individual freedom surely outweigh the costs."

He crossed his arms, "Then you are naive. What if the fate of a planet depended on its leader to make a swift decision, as is often the case in the Imperium. Many systems are lightly defended, and have to rely on imperial aid. If a hostile fleet arrives, what use is a vote to the people when their cities are razed from orbit?"

"You'd bombard a populated world?"

The question confused Eisenmus. "Sorry, I beg your pardon?"

"Where you come from, they'd actually bombard defenceless cities from orbit?"

The question stumped Eisenmus, "That's usually the recommended tactic when you've rested orbital control away from the enemy." he looked at the two women, "Wouldn't you?"

"No! The council banned firing on any part of a garden world years ago!"

"You listen to politicians about military matters?" Eisenmus asked.

"Yes! It's a good idea." she said, defending a universally popular policy, "How could people live their lives with the threat of orbital bombardment hanging literally over their heads."

"You begin to see our situation." Eisenmus said. "We do not have a council to say what can or can't be done. The alien menace gives no quarter to humanity. All alien life wishes to see Terra a smoking ruin." he leaned back in his chair. "and we give no quarter back."

Miranda shook her head. These people were something else.

"Continue Kelly," she said.

Kelly looked back to the inquisitor.

"Ok, next question. How did you get here?"

Ah! he thought, this one he could answer truthfully!

'I honestly have no idea. During our fight with a warp entity something happened. I remember. . .light,' he concentrated ' and pain, much pain. I woke up on the world you found me on, with nothing but a fragment of our battlefield and the others that came through with me.

'A warp entity?' Miranda asked from the back of the room. 'What's that?'

' An entity is any creature born in the warp, the term is synonymous with daemon where I come from but there are subtle differences.'

'What's the warp?' she followed

He shrugged, 'It has many names, the warp, empyrean, immaterium, aether. Doesn't matter. Its just the name we give to the dimension parallel to this one shaped by emotion and thought. I'm sure you have your own name for it.'

The three looked at each other. Miranda replied, 'I've never heard of anything like that. Kelly? You said you liked your mythologies, any mention?'

'None that I can think of.' the perky redhead said. They turned back to the Inquisitor.

Eisenmus' cool façade cracked. His eyebrows abandoned their posts and moved up his forehead. 'You've never heard of the warp?' he asked.

* * *

><p>Another prisoner went down, shot in the back by Garrus. His friends, realizing they've been flanked, turned to face their new attackers. Shepard didn't give them the chance.<p>

They fell under a fusillade of fire. Jacob added his fire to hers.

They were close to the central area. The corridor was choked with bodies. Piled four deep in some areas. They approached the main entrance to the admin and control block. It looked like someone had tried to storm through.

If they had, it looked like they'd failed.

The guards further down the corridor looked at her suspiciously. They weren't shooting, but their weapons were raised. Shepard slowed her approach. She lowered her weapon.

"Hold!" Yannec shouted from behind her. He shouldered his way through the team to the front. "We aren't prisoners! We're here to see the warden!"

At his appearance, the guards lowered their weapons at the sight of their comrade. Behind Shepard's team was the yells and shouts of fresh prisoners.

"Better move! before more show up" Yannec said and hurried on forward.

"Yeah, I don't want to stay in the open while an angry mob rushes us." Garrus added. Shepard agreed and gave the signal to move on.

As they jogged on through she passed makeshift barricades and fortifications. The damage to the cover and walls was tremendous. Whatever happened here, it had been brutal.

They advanced through the inner sections of the CIC. Guards were propped up against walls for support. Wounded lay everywhere. The ever present sound of gunfire thundered through the corridors.

They entered the CIC. Officers ran about barking orders. In the centre, an old turian saw them enter. He turned towards him

He began walking, his armour was blood spattered, with mixes of red, blue and purple ichor.

"Shepard, it's good to see you." he walked towards her with a slight limp, his face grimaced every time his right foot hit the ground. He grunted "This is a proper mess we've got here."

"How bad?"

"Critical. the central power's been knocked out by the batarians, so we can't even vent the wings and flush them out. We got prison riots all over the station"

A distant explosion rocked the station. The orders on the bridge resumed.

"But that's not our problem, our problem's subject zero." he saw her look. "Yeah, the one you were here to collect! She's gone shepard, broke out when cryo failed. She's tearing the ship apart! I'm trying to get teams to close in on her but she breaks each time."

She looked at the warden, he looked in pretty bad way. "Are you good to fight? You look like you've. ."

"I'm fine!" he snapped. "Get after Jack Shepard! My men can handle the inmates."

Shepard nodded. "Alright, team you heard the man, let's go!"

* * *

><p>Jack was out. Jack was free.<p>

Jack was pissed.

Bastards thought they could hold her HER!. The cowards froze the fuck out of her so she couldn't even fight back.

She blasted a couple more guards. They went flying. She knew she was still on the station. She hadn't been shipped off somewhere.

She ran. She always ran. Always faster than the ones chasing. Hah! They thought that they could catch her

But they had. . . .which was why she was here.

The thought drove her to rage! She screamed and crashed down a section of bulkhead with her biotics. They crumpled under the power.

Around the corner some batarians advanced. They carried some kind of stun gun, they were shooting prisoners, who fell limp on the floor when struck.

'More of the bastards' she thought and charged the batarians and destroyed them. A hurricane of biotic power. Limbs were shorn and bones crumpled. Their bodies flew threw the air.

Once the air deionized, her biotic glow faded. She spied one of them, the last survivor. He was trying to crawl away. Pathetic. . .

She advanced on him, a goddess of death.

He held his hands up in front of him. "No!, no please!. . "

"Feels bad when its you getting shafted isn't it?" she asked and with a grunt, pulped his head under an intense biotic field.

She stood up, looked around her.

The vast space was slowly filling with smoke. Several fires burned in cells above, gas pipelines fuelling the flames. Inmates still in their cells were battering on their walls, like animals in a zoo.

She needed a way off this station.

Escape pods, there must be escape pods somewhere!

* * *

><p>The reflective room tiles glowed momentarily from the flaring of light, before resuming their dark reflective shade.<p>

The illusive man watched the video recordings of the mission that the newcomers had went on. EDI had managed to rip the video and audio recordings direct from the security cameras.

He took a puff of his cigarette.

These newcomers meant business. Up to now, he had only images and Miranda's descriptions of their technology to go on, but now he saw it in action.

And he wanted it.

The power that these two people had brought with them could not be underestimated. Powered armour was still something of a technological prototype despite a century of research. The power requirements for something like that were just over the limit for a practical eezo generator. Besides, barriers had made the entire concept moot.

He took a drink

Not here. He remembered Miranda commenting that these people didn't use element zero. A startling discovery in its own right! The galaxy ran on eezo, it was the currency of the galaxy.

Above all else, the eezo must flow!

He read something similar in a book a while ago.

The entire dynamic of the galaxy rested on this fact. Control enough of the eezo, and you control the markets. Control the markets, and you control the galaxy. If one were to break the monopoly, it would be an unprecedented boon to the discoverer.

He looked at the report from his newest cell. His people were still trying to dig up that damned cathedral from Charles' Rock. He'd only sent Shepard on this mission as a means of getting her out of the way.

A thought stirred inside him, he hadn't expected her to include these new members as part of her team so quickly.

But she had, and they were intriguing.

They were also valuable. He took a drink. And arched his hands in front of him. A status report from another operation pinged to his right, he ignored it for the moment.

He sat, calculating. He knew that the longer he left them with Shepard, the more sympathetic to her cause they'd be, that was just the way Shepard had with people. Leave a criminal around Shepard for long enough and eventually they'll throw themselves on the metaphorical grenade for her.

He exhaled smoke. Which is what he wanted, yes. But. . . he looked at the files from their initial meeting.

Human-centric philosophy with advanced technology and a less than cool attitude towards alien interference. He could definitely see similarities there.

The longer he left them with Shepard, the more sympathetic to her cause they'd become. He calculated. He saw smoke swirl through the air in front of him. Would they be of more use to Shepard in her mission, or to Cerberus as a whole?

He made a decision. He sent word to contact Operative Lawson on the Normandy.

* * *

><p>Shepard saw a lone figure on the lower decking. A corona of blue haze surrounded her. The small woman had decimated a squad of batarians.<p>

"That's Jack?" Garrus asked. Shepard brought up her omni tool, complete with the picture provided.

"Yep, definitely looks like her."

The small woman looked around her, at the carnage she'd just inflicted. She looked up at their direction, was she looking at them?

Her gaze hovered on them a moment before she turned and disappeared into another section of the station.

Shepard hurriedly deactivated the omni tool, "Dammit! Come on, we can't lose her!"

* * *

><p>Jack fought her way tooth and nail through to the airlocks. There had to be escape pods somewhere she could use get off this station.<p>

Or a ship, even. The fucking slavers must had got here somehow. Yeah, that'd do!

She glimpsed back over her shoulder. There were others after her. She didn't know who they were but she saw them on the landings above. They didn't look like the slavers or guards, but she didn't care.

She kept moving

* * *

><p>The room was quiet. In a hiss of mechanical interference, Eisenmus' image fizzled into view at the end of the large room. The sun continued its roiling dance in the window.<p>

The illusive man regarded him, hmm . . . smaller than the pictures suggested.

Eisenmus looked back at the man sitting cross legged in the chair. "I assume you're the illusive man."

The illusive man put his cigarette down and exhaled. "You assume correctly." he got up out of his seat. "You must be the one called Eisenmus, then."

The inquisitor nodded, unsure what to make of the man yet.

The illusive man, taking the cue, continued, "I assume Shepard has told you about my organization, Cerberus?"

Eisenmus shook his head, "She didn't explain it, but I've read a little about it on your extranet."

'Your extranet' the illusive man noted. "And what do you make of us?"

"I had only the briefest chance to skim the article. The article said that Cerberus was a terrorist organization bent on pursuing a pro-human agenda on the galaxy." he decided to stick to the facts for now, to gauge this man's reaction.

The illusive man smiled, "I didn't ask what the article said, I asked what you thought, Eisenmus." he added a little stress on the pronoun.

The inquisitor hesitated. He had read the files on Cerberus and found it to be one of the only points of true thinking in this heretical galaxy. Sure, they did not abide the Emperor's word, but who would've told them?

He must be careful, he reminded himself. Shepard was a soldier at heart, that was clear as day. This one, however. . .he studied the man in the chair. This one had a politician's speech. When a man is in possession of elegant speech, he likely possesses an elegant mind. He thought back to when he encountered Shepard, the thought that went through his mind. The thought that probably saved his life and the lives of his entourage

He needed allies, they needed a patron. Shepard had sufficed, they had needed her ship or they would have died on the planet.

He looked back to the illusive man. This one possessed an organization that drew many parallels with imperial thinking. It was alien to Eisenmus, why they should be shunned by the human race at large. In a galaxy of heretics, these were possibly the only people who saw the xenos threat for what it truly was.

He sighed, there was really only one right Emperor-fearing course open to him if he wished to remain true to himself.

"After seeing a galaxy ridden with heresy and alien collusion. Then learning of an organization that desires humanity its rightful place, I think that you and I have much in common."

The illusive man nodded. He had recognised the inquisitor's delay. "I know what you're thinking, Eisenmus. Did you just bargain away your soul to the devil?" he took a drink, his glass now empty.

"I see the hold you have over Shepard." Eisenmus said, "She dislikes you, maybe hates you. But without your knowledge she'd be lost in her battle against her collectors."

Again, '_her_' collectors, the illusive man noted. Good, he wasn't anchored to Shepard's cause just yet.

He gestured to himself. "Not unlike me, without your resources, I would likewise be lost in my mission to help my colleagues."

The illusive man nodded. His perception shifted. "You fear the strings." he smiled, "We may have more in common than you realise Eisenmus."

He pressed a series of buttons on his omni tool and a 3d image of the Aggripus inner sanctum appeared in mid air between them.

"Look familiar?"

Eisenmus nodded. Not sure what this meant. "Yes, that's the remnants of the inner sanctum."

The illusive man gestured to it. "As a show of trust I will tell you that your recent mission to the mercenary compound was a distraction." He saw the inquisitor's eyebrow raise. He continued, It was a distraction to allow my people to close in on the site and recover it. I have seen your recent combat prowess Eisenmus. I want mankind to have that!"

He closed the image.

He rose from his chair briefly overtake by the force of his own argument. "That can't happen with Shepard! She doesn't see what humans are truly capable of. Any edge I can give humanity, I'll give it." h pointed to Eisenmus, cigarette in hand. "And you may provide that edge."

He lowered his and and sighed. " I don't expect you to trust me. I'd be worried if you did. He returned to his chair, refilled his drink.

Eisenmus stood, observing. The man continued,

"We're both too smart for that. I see the knowledge behind that façade." he smiled and drank. "I speak to admirals, politicians, generals, scientists, even the occasional business mogul." he looked at Eisenmus. "And I see in some of them what i see in you. The intellect."

"Don't flatter me with false praise." Eisenmus replied, he crossed his arms.

The illusive man smiled, "Funny, you'd be surprised how many of the people I'm talking about say that."

Eisenmus weighed the options in his mind. "You want co-operation?"

"Yes."

"Then what would you want from us?" he asked. Deciding to seek the direct answer the man had been skirting round.

To his surprise, the man was forthright. "Your technology, your knowledge, your experience and your combat prowess." he took another drink. "You don't realise it Eisenmus, but you represent the most important technological paradigm shift in the history of the galaxy. I want Cerberus to have that, I want mankind to have that."

Eisenmus contemplated this. "I need time to think about this."

The illusive man nodded. "Of course. Speak to Operative Lawson when you've reached your decision." he keyed in another series of buttons on his chair. "We'll talk then, Eisenmus." and closed the call.

* * *

><p>Shepard's boots ran along the floor, clanging the metal underfoot. They had to keep moving, Jack was heading for the airlock sections.<p>

She felt an impact on her shoulder. her shield held. She barrelled into cover to her left. impacts hit the opposite side. You're too slow, she thought.

She saw Mordin in front of her. Cold and professional. He ducked out. Loosed a burst and ducked back in. A batarian down field went down.

"Not difficult!" she heard him taunt.

"Got some over here!" Garrus yelled as 2 batarians came round a bulkhead. he shot the first. A clean shot that took its head off. His friend lurched to one side behind cover. he loosed a stream of rounds in their direction.

Shepard took a few hits moving to new cover. The shield held. She looked back at the originals in front of her.

Poked her head out, pulled back immediately. Her cover pinged as shots impacted on it.

"Problematic" she heard Mordin say next to her.

"No shit." she keyed the comm. "Messani, put some fire down their direction!"

"You got it Shepard!" the batarian position

She looked round and fired another burst. Another slaver went down and his friends lunged into cover.

He kept his head down, when he resurfaced, it disappeared with a high powered shot from Garrus."

"That's all of them." he said.

"Shepard." EDI's voice chirped in her ear.

"Go ahead EDI." she replied.

"I am detecting an unusually high amount of biotic energy in front of you. It may be your target, Jack. I advise caution."

Was there ever a time when EDI didn't advise caution? "Noted." she replied and turned back to her team. "Stay sharp! Jack may be just around the corner."

* * *

><p>Jack ran along one of the outer corridors of the station. She didn't know which. She was pretty sure this was the way to the docking stations.<p>

Behind her she had left a trail of carnage and death. Anyone that had stood in her way. Slaver, Guard, Inmate had been destroyed. She didn't care who they were, if they dared stand between her and her freedom, they were dead.

She turned a corner, sprinting as she did. A new corridor, one of the perimeter routes. A large glass view screen ran along the left side, looking out into the abyss beyond.

There was a ship docked there. It was sleek, she saw the smooth line of the hull. The station lights illuminated it as a black and white painted hull.

It had the Cerberus logo blatantly plastered on its prow.

Jack froze in her tracks. Her mouth stood agape at the logo. That fucking logo!

She screamed. Where did she have to go for them to leave her alone?! Why did they keep hunting her? What the fuck was their problem?!

All very deep questions, all needed answering.

In a burst of rage she pummelled a bulkhead with a blast of biotics. The steel relented under the bombardment. Echoes of tortures steel echoed through the hallway.

"Jack?" A voice to her left! She spun to the source, biotics flaring.

She saw the source. A woman, she was human and kitted out in a void hard suit. There were others too, four of them. They stood behind the centre woman.

They were armed!

"Stay the fuck away from me! you hear!" She clenched her fists, readying a blast.

To her surprise the woman in the centre lowered her weapon. Her other hand went up in a gesture of peace.

"Easy Jack, we're not here to hurt you." The woman then gestured for her team to do the same.

"Bullshit! You're here to lock me up, drag me back to a cell and put me in storage like a trophy. No thanks!"

The woman's mood changed, her helmet slightly distorting her voice, "God dammit! We just saved your ass from the slavers! We're here to get you out!"

"Yeah right!" she pointed to the ship " I know a Cerberus ship when i see one!"

"I'm not with Cerberus!" Shepard replied. "I'm using them for their resources!"

"Yeah, right!" Jack spat back. She heard a groan of steel from above her.

A rumbling issued through the station. The floor trembled.

The woman continued, "Listen, this station's coming apart around us. I've got the only ride out that isn't in a slave cell." she pointed at her ship. "I'm offering to take you with me.. ." she pointed at Jack, "and you're arguing!"

Jack looked at the frigate. . .that fucking logo!

"If you want to stay here and die in space, that's fine, we'll leave." Shepard said and turned. "We'll leave the door open." She ordered her team to turn around. They began to leave Jack in the hallway.

Jack's mind raced. What was happening? They weren't supposed to give up, they were supposed to fucking fight her! That's what they always did!

Her eyes darted to the ship, the noise of straining metal around her was getting loader.

She looked at their backs, they'd soon be out of sight.

Fuck! she thought.

"Wait!" she cried out, and started after them. The leader woman turned to face her.

"I'll come with you, on the condition I get files about me, you say you've got Cerberus resources? I want my files."

"Fine." Shepard replied, she couldn't care. The station shook again. "Now get on the ship! we're leaving!"

Joker's voice suddenly burst through the comm, "Commander! The batarian ship's just left the dock. It's firing on the station! You need to move NOW!"

She turned back to the team "You heard Joker! move it now, we're out of here!"

"Don't have to tell me twice" said the already running Zaeed. Garrus wasn't too far behind him.

Shepard looked at the small woman, "Come on! Let's go!"

The woman scowled. "Whatever."

* * *

><p>Purgatory was originally an ark ship, built to store animals in case they needed to be moved from ecological catastrophe.<p>

It wasn't armoured.

Its structure buckled under the batarian's fire. Mass accelerated projectiles punched through its hull, gutting its interiors. Ugly gashes, like new wounds, spewed interior into the void. Cargo and bodies were sucked into oblivion. Vibrations rippled along the station's spine. Bulkheads cracked, compartments were crushed. Cell modules were flung out into space, some still with prisoners.

With each impact of the mass drivers, shockwaves resonated throughout the station. The engines destabilised and detonated. The back section of the craft disappeared in a firestorm of debris and flame. The front section broke away, drifting aimlessly through the void, its surface being punctured by thousands of micro impacts from the expanding cloud of ruin that used to be the engines.

Warden Kuril coughed, something that looked like blood was retched up. He couldn't tell, the red emergency lights made it impossible to determine colour.

That wasn't good.

He thought he heard his omni-tool beeping for him. He turned it on, it was Shepard.

"Warden, you there?"

He coughed again, more blood. He looked down, a jagged piece of glass was embedded in his abdomen.

"here Shepard." he wheezed. " Get your guys out of here."

"Warden? Where are you, we can ..

"Noo. . .!" he retched, the display to his left flickered. It displayed the damage to the station. It was done for.

His work. . .done for. . .

He could've done some good for the galaxy. So much good. . .

He slumped back down on the floor. "Go Shepard!" he wheezed into the comm, "I'm not going anywhere."

A pause from the other end. The alarms and damage sirens still cried out around him.

"Acknowledged warden." another pause, " It was an honour, Kuril."

The warden snorted, "Dammit Shepard, Get out of here before I change my mind about rescue" he cut the link.

The station was coming down around him. Kuril dragged himself up into his chair.

Warning lights issued from every surface. A breach alarm was going off somewhere.

His wound was brutal. He felt the glass scrape against his organs as he breathed. He sighed.

"What a crappy day." he said before the CIC structure finally relented to the strain and the room vented to space.

* * *

><p>The Normandy flew away from the space station as it broke apart. A listing ruin floating in nothing. Several micro-projectiles pinged off its kinetic barriers as it glided away from the wreck. It turned in space, thrusters blazing.<p>

Its prow turned towards the fleeing batarian ship.

It gave chase, charging through the empty vacuum. Stealth systems were engaged, to the enemy, they all but disappeared from view.

Joker deftly manned the controls, feeling the ship beneath him. The inertial dampeners not entirely eliminating all the forces of acceleration. He guided the ship towards the target. Moments later Shepard appeared behind him

"Where are they, Joker?"

"Right in front of us commander." he flicked a control and a screen showing the ship appeared to his left. "They haven't seen us yet, commander. If they have, they aren't showing it."

Shepard nodded. "Good, I want to get right up their ass before they know we're there."

"Commander?" Joker asked, " what are we going to do when we are? i told you we couldn't damage the ship without risking destruction."

She nodded. "Yeah I remember. EDI's going to be doing the work."

"EDI?" Joker asked, something like distaste appearing in his tone.

"Yeah, back on the station I remembered what she said on cyber warfare. For the last ten minutes, she's been getting in their systems. She says she just needs to get close enough to deliver the final package."

"If only you'd thought of that sooner, the station mightn't. . ." he stopped as Shepard shot him a look of pure death. He shut up.

"How long until they reach the relay?" she asked.

"Uhh, just hold one. . .ah, just under an hour, commander."

Shepard looked at the readings in the cockpit. 'Estimated time to interception - 18 minutes. She grunted. "Good. EDI?"

"Yes commander?" the blue sphere appeared on the surface.

"How long until we're close enough for you to get in their systems?"

"We should be close enough in 4.1 minutes, Shepard. The infiltration package is ready to be executed."

"Good. I want you to hold off for ten more minutes, until we're close enough for a shuttle launch."

"Understood Shepard."

She switched comm links, "This is Shepard. All purgatory team members, get back to the shuttle hangar! We're not finished with these bastards yet!"

The Normandy closed in on the batarian ship, silently making its way closer and closer. It passed over the threshold of EDI's cyber suites, but the AI waited, bided its time until Shepard commanded it.

Closer and closer the Normandy got, until the vessel was almost visible with the naked eye.

Shepard turned to Joker. "Open a channel to their ship."

"You know that'll cancel the stealth systems right?"

"Yeah,"

"Alright, just making sure." he keyed in several commands on the flight controls and nodded to her. She tapped her earpiece.

"Batarian vessel!" she commanded, "This is commander Shepard of the SR-2 Normandy. You are to stand down and surrender immediately."

She paused awaiting a reply. It came

"Ha! Like hell. Tell you what, why don't. ."

"No! you listen here." Shepard interrupted. "You just destroyed that prison ship. Killing thousands. I am giving you ONE chance before I take matters into my own hands."

"Listen Shepard, if you could've destroyed us, you'd have done so back at the station. I'm not listening to your bluffing." the channel was cut.

"He seemed friendly." the dry remark coming from Joker.

Shepard shook her head and threw her arms up, " I gave him a chance. . . I gave him a chance!" She stormed out of the cockpit.

"EDI?" she said on the move. "Launch the package. Fuck up their systems."

"Understood Shepard." the synthesized voice replied.

If one could see it, a burst of data erupted across the empty space between the two vessels. EDI's programming infiltrated the batarian ship, seeking any disruption it could do. Power was cut, weapons were disabled, controls were locked.

On the exterior, the engines sputtered and died, thrusters stopped firing in coordination, tilting the ship into a spiral. Exterior lights dimmed as the ship floated, without control, through space.

While it tumbled, a small shuttle from the Normandy streamed towards it. On board, was a very angry woman.

* * *

><p>The airlock opened and Shepard burst out, rifle ready. All the lights were out, her helmet light illuminating a circle of light in front of her. Behind her, Garrus and Jacob moved into the batarian ship, likewise ready for combat. The team moved out to secure the room, Mordin and Zaeed the last out of the shuttle.<p>

She gestured to a door and the team made their way to cover it. Shepard gestured to three and opened it.

Inside, was a group of the batarians scattered throughout the room, all holding tools trying to fix control stations. When her team entered, they yelled in shock.

Shepard didn't give them the chance to reach for their weapons.

She fired. She put one down. She swivelled, another fell back, knocked over the control station he was working on.

Garrus felled another. Shot through the heart by a series of quick successive blasts.

The others were gunned down where they stood by her team.

She gestured the team to move forward. They were heading for the bridge.

They advanced through the ship, dispatching any who they came across. EDI had uploaded the path to their helmet visors. They kept going, not far now.

Captain Barc heard gunfire. He looked around, his bridge crew had heard it as well. He drew his weapon.

"You hear that?" he asked his officers. They nodded. They reached for their sidearms. Faulty bridge systems forgotten.

Suddenly the door opened and a small device trundled through on the ground.

"Grenade!" he heard one of his officers shout before it exploded. The man nearest the door was blown from his feet. The shockwave threw Barc out of his chair. His face slammed against the floor.

Argh, that hurt. He drove himself up from the floor and readied his weapon. There was dust everywhere, his vision was reduced to zero.

The dust irritated him, he coughed. He tried to make out something in the haze, anything. He thought he saw a shape, it looked like a person.

He brought his weapon up to the shape, but before he could, the shape moved. It went out of sight.

Then he heard gunfire. Screams. Yells. He recognised the voices. The voices of his bridge crew.

He couldn't see. Shapes, half hidden in the dust moved around him. The screams continued.

He panicked.

He began to run, anywhere, it didn't matter. His foot caught something and he fell again. He heard voices behind him. More gunfire. He needed to run.

He raised himself off the floor, then felt something like a punch hit him in the back. He didn't know what it was, he didn't care.

He commanded his legs to move, they failed him. he slumped forwards, once more hitting the floor. he grunted, a feeling started to rise through his body. He tried to get up. His legs wouldn't obey him. He tried again, again they didn't respond.

he looked down and saw a gaping hole in his right thigh. He'd been shot! He'd been fucking shot!

He desperately tried to use his arms to crawl his way out. The dust had almost cleared now and he could see the bridge door. he wanted to be away from whoever was in here with him. He felt another punch in his back, this time much harder and his world went black.

* * *

><p>"That's the last of them, Shepard." Garrus said. He ejected the spent heatsink from his rifle.<p>

She nodded. "Good. Mordin, how's that beacon looking?"

"Simple matter of activating emergency systems. Beacon should be active in 2 minutes. Rescue already en-route." He didn't look from his work.

"Good." she keyed in her comm. "EDI, how long's this ship disabled for?"

"Optimistic projections put the vessel regaining FTL capability in 16 hours. Accounting for reboot of eezo drive and subsequent calibrations."

"Shame Garrus not part of crew." Mordin interjected.

"What does that mean?" Garrus asked.

Shepard shook her head "EDI, do you have access to this ship's logs?"

"Yes, Shepard. The shutdown code also permitted me access to the ship's files."

"How many slaves are on board?"

A slight pause from the AI. "Current ship manifests display 587 individuals on board not listed as part of the crew, Shepard."

Shepard swore. She heard Zaeed whistle.

"That's a lot of fucking people." he exclaimed.

"Capture may be fortunate for them." Mordin chimed on, " Purgatory destroyed. Those captured survive likely due in part to batarian capture."

Shepard didn't like Mordin's view that these people had been fortunate. But she couldn't deny his twisted logic.

"What're your orders Shepard?" Garrus asked. " Now that we're sitting on a boat full of convict slaves."

Shepard thought about this. Every instinct said free them now, it was abominable to be someone else's puppet. . .but these were hardened criminals, the same ones they had just been fighting on the station. If they let them loose now, chances are they'd start another riot.

"We'll stay until the rescue ships show up." she concluded. "Mordin? That beacon goes up in 2 minutes, correct?"

"Yes Shepard. High priority distress signal, sent to alliance."

She nodded. She still had her old codes for high priority signals. Even if they'd changed them, they'd still send someone pretty quick to find out who had those codes.

She holstered her weapon and sat in the captain's chair. It was unusually comfortable.

"Make yourselves comfortable people." She said, "We're going to be here awhile."

* * *

><p>The room remained dark, blinders had been lowered to dim the room. The sun was unusually active recently.<p>

The hologram fizzed into existence. The image of Eisenmus sharpened into view. The illusive man put down his drink and looked at his guest.

"Have you thought about my proposal?"

The hologram nodded. It looked straight at the man and clasped his hands behind it's back. "We will work with you illusive man, and see where your loyalties really lie."

He smiled and took a puff from his cigarette. The sun behind him cast a gentle glow on his silhouette.

"You won't regret this, Eisenmus. . ." he put out his cigarette on his armrest. It fizzed and died.


	5. The butterfly flaps

_Author's Note: A slightly shorter one today! As always any comments or reviews no matter how critical are greatly appreciated. _

_Onwards!. . ._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five: The Butterfly Flaps<strong>

She drifted in the sea of unconscious thought. She glided through emptiness as she felt her mind around her.

I'm not awake she thought, with clarity that came with age and insight into her own mental workings. The thought triggered a collapse in her floating dream state. Shards broke apart from her surroundings and fell down. Where to? she didn't know. Looking up was a darkness, the darkness that came with waking. She felt her muscles and body within her again. Looking around she saw blackness.

She realised her eyes were closed. She opened them.

Something swam in her vision. The world around her came back into focus. She blinked. She saw the metal ceiling above her, the low hum of machinery vibrating through the structure. She turned her head.

She was lying on the bed, she must have passed out, she thought. She tried to remember back to the point where she dropped unconscious. She thought better of it as the painful psychic residue of the vision was still swirling around in her mind.

She sat up on the bed, her head span but she managed to stay upright. Looking round, she saw no trace of Eleiyra, she couldn't sense the ranger in the room either. Suspicion gripped her and she reached out with her mind.

She winced with the psychic effort. It was a painful experience after so recently waking. The ever present blinding light of the monkeigh trinket pervaded her sight. Through the blinding light, like a silhouette through a fog, she sensed the ranger's presence. It was very close by. Good, she thought and with relief withdrew her mind sight back within her. She was close, and alive. Probably wandered off as she does.

Her questions returned to her immediate environment. How long was I out? she thought to herself.

She turned on the bed and risked to stand. She rose from the sheet, her legs were weak but she regained her balance momentarily. To get rid of the vertigo, she paced the small room, trying to get some blood flowing back into her limbs.

"The warp is silent. .." the thought turned over and over in her mind. She briefly considered taking another look to see if she could confirm what she saw, but thought better of it. She shook her head to herself. It had taken all her concentration to break through it before, she was spent. She simply couldn't summon the effort needed.

She felt warm feeling return to her legs. Her steps more confident and comfortable. In time .. . . she thought, when my strength's returned I'll look again.

Something itched her eye. She put a hand up to her face and it came away covered in dust. hmm, from that abomination's duel she thought. She realised she hadn't washed since the fight on the monkeigh world.

She looked round the room she'd spent the last two days in. The desk, the small table, the bed and a couple of storage cupboards. She walked over and sat at the desk. There was a monkeigh machine placed on it. She didn't know what it did.

The warp is silent.

The thought gnawed at her, eating at her attention. She needed confirmation. She realised she was tapping her fingers on the table.

Slowly, insidiously, a thought grew in her mind. Of all the people nearby, there was one she could discuss psychic dealings with. Her face turned to irritation. It irked her, to discuss such things with this. . . this . . .monkeigh was laughable, their understanding was so primitive.

But. . .

He was the only one who knows of the warp and its risks. Only he would even know how to confirm or deny what she saw. She needed no more than that.

She sighed. She didn't have many choices. With care, she rose and headed out of her room, for the first time since she arrived. She sought out the monkeigh inquisitor.

She made her way through the ship, she passed several of the crew. They gave her strange looks. This was odd. In her experience, normal human expressions conveyed hostility and anger anywhere she encountered them. These ones here were a mix of what she thought was curiosity and surprise.

She stopped one of them. A male, he looked to be a crew member.

"Do you know where the Imperials are located on this ship?" she asked the man.

"The Imperials?" the man replied. His gaze seemed fixed on her. To her surprise and slight revulsion, his eyes downwards from her face.

"The other three that arrived with us." she continued. She ignored his wandering eyes.

The voice! Her voice! he thought as the hapless man's brain struggled to compute a response, "Oh the others!" his words sputtered out in a stream, "they're just down that corridor there," he pointed, "the second door on your left."

She looked and turned back to the man and nodded, she then left down the hall. She felt the man's stare on the back of her head. It irked her.

She arrived at the door and knocked. Moments later, it was answered by the inquisitor. His face immediately turned to a scowl. Glaedara felt oddly reassured by the familiar reaction.

"What do you want, xeno?" he asked.

"There is something we need to discuss, concerning the warp."

He crossed his hands. "Oh"? he replied.

"This is a conversation that needs to be had without unwanted attention" she said. Glancing round.

Eisenmus saw the glance. She was serious. He nodded.

The farseer entered and the door shut behind them. Inside his room, Eisenmus sat at his desk. The eldar remained standing just inside the doorway.

"What about the warp?" he asked

"The warp is silent." she replied plainly.

Eisenmus shrugged, this meant nothing. The warp was silent around a hundred worlds. It was the flow and ebb of the thing. Though, looking at her now, he sensed that these words meant something more.

"What do you mean 'silent'?"

He doesn't understand, she thought. He doesn't know anything's wrong yet.

"There is no movement, no flow, no ebb, no currents. The warp is as a lifeless pond of water. Completely and utterly flat and empty." she explained.

Eisenmus rubbed his beard, "That's very unusual." he replied, "Are we in the eye of some storm then?" He heard her sigh, he swore he saw her green eyes flash for a second.

"No, you misunderstand monkeigh, lifeless. There are no daemons, no currents. I pierced the blinding aura of your trinket to look upon it. There was nothing there." she briefly had a flashback to the deafening silence that pervaded the warp here. With effort, she brought herself back to the moment.

Eisenmus nodded. That was very unusual, he thought, "What do you mean, are you saying that you saw no daemons in the warp?"

She nodded. Eisenmus' brow furrowed. "What's the significance of that?" he asked. His mind was turning fully now, back into inquisitorial mode. This was a question, and the question needed an answer.

"I don't know yet." she replied, truthfully.

Eisenmus grasped his hands. "I've seen nothing of the sort."

"It took all my concentration to break through that insidious fog your trinket pervades around itself," she said. My psychic powers far outstrip your own."

He grunted. Annoyed at being insulted by the eldar, though he did agree with her. She no doubt outclassed him.

"What would be your suggestion?" he asked.

"Discard the trinket out into space. Let me put some distance between. . .

The inquisitor rose from his seat. "Unacceptable! Unthinkable!" Eisenmus snapped. The very notion! "That thing is the one of the holiest relics in the Imperium. I won't have your kind throw it out the airlock like some damned piece of rubbish!"

Glaedara remained impassive, "Regardless.. ." the eldar continued, "To see the warp properly we can't have that trinket near us. It blinds us."

"Then we shall be blind. I'll not part with it. I've been more than gracious with you, xeno." he pointed towards her.

"Quite." she said. her eyes narrowed towards the inquisitor, she dared not move for risk of inciting more emotion. Let him mull over the undertones in her reply.

Eisenmus paused. He forced his anger down, the accusing finger with it. A question popped up, one he had stumbled across earlier in his researches. now that the farseer was here, he could ask.

"In this time." he began, sitting back down, "where. . when, we are now. What would have been the state of the eldar?"

The farseer's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I know your kind ruled the stars before humanity took its rightful place. But how far would your empire have stretched?"

She thought. This was a strange question. One she was uncomfortable discussing with a monkeigh.

"We spanned the galaxy." she replied, keeping the answers vague. "Our borders extended even beyond your weakling Imperi. ."

"Yes, yes I know that." the inquisitor interrupted. Glaedara baulked. Offended at having been so abruptly cut off. He lifted his arm. She saw something on it, a machine? He pointed to it.

"You see, I've searched their databases for anything that may resemble you or your eldar empire. It's come up with nothing." he leant on the desk. "This may be difficult for an eldar, but I need the truth here. It only hurts both of us if you lie. Did you truly encompass the galaxy or did you just say that to boost your own race's stature."

"I speak the truth monkeigh." she snapped, annoyance rising in her. "Why does your kind find it so difficult to accept that other species have reached higher than your own?"

He sighed. "Then we have a problem. If I can't find anything eldar related in these histories and star charts. . . " he gestured around him, "Then where are they?"

Glaedara had pondered this herself. The warp does not lie. (the beings inside it however, lie incessantly) It was still, as smooth as glass. Any use of any psychic abilities moulds it, creates ripples and waves in the great sheet of the warp. If there were eldar in this galaxy. It would have been disturbed.

She shook her head, "I don't know. I want to study this more. If you won't throw that trinket out then I need to be further away from it."

"How far?" he brought his hand up to his chin.

"Maybe if it was here and I were on a planet. But even then, the distance is very close."

He nodded, slowly. "What do you expect to find?"

"I don't know. I don't know why the warp is as quiet as it is."

"Would it have something to do with our arrival? Would we have caused it to be this quiet?" he asked. She shook her head.

"No, entire starships and hulks sometimes drift through time. They don't cause the warp to act like it does."

He arched his hands in front of his face as he considered this. He looked across the desk to the eldar standing in his doorway. But has anything drifted as far as we have before?. . . he thought to himself.

* * *

><p>The batarian ship and the Normandy drifted listlessly through space together. Like a predator and her prey. The Normandy's sleek form kept rotation and velocity with the listing paralysed ship. It's weapons and scanners remained trained on it. Not that it could present a threat now. Shepard's crew had gone through the entire ship, seeking out any remaining slavers and dispatching them.<p>

She had decided to remain with the ship and wait for the alliance to respond. Their distress signal had went out on the alliance buoy network, by now it would have been picked up by every outpost nearby.

Armed with evidence from Freedom's Progress, perhaps she could get their help in the fight with the collectors. She hoped that her word would still count for something.

They waited. . .

3 hours they waited. Until,

"Commander," Joker piped through her earpiece. "Alliance vessels appearing on scanner.

"Acknowledged joker, I'll be right there."

She left her quarters and headed up to the cockpit, Joker heard her approach.

He pointed to the viewscreen. It displayed the IFF and specifications of the new arrivals.

"Four ships commander, a cruiser and 3 frigate class." His shands manipulated the controls to bring up the comm system. He gestured to it.

"All yours, commander." and leaned back in his chair.

She nodded and leant on the control panel in front of her. "This is Commander Shepard to alliance vessels. Please respond."

Nothing but static was their reply. The seconds ticked by. Then, a perplexed voice, "Did you say commander Shepard? Confirm."

"Confirm. I'm Commander Shepard, now who am I speaking to?" she replied

"You're supposed to be dead!"

She sighed, this was going to be a pain.

"Its a long story. Suffice to say that I'm very much alive."

"Comm officer Dack reporting. There's a good many people will be glad to hear you're back." the call abruptly cut off. Static for a second. What was going on? Shepard thought

A new voice came through on the comm, more stern, "This is captain Denver of the alliance cruiser Germania. Cerberus vessel, explain your actions."

A shift in tone. This had been passed up the totem pole. "This is commander Shepard of the SR-2 Normandy. We just disabled a disabled Batarian ship containing hundreds of slaves. A good many of them are human. We request any help you could provide." She heard hesitation from the other end of the line. Shepard looked out into the void. Seeing if she could see the other ships yet, she couldn't.

"Granted. But you are to stand down and remain where you are until we can ascertain why you're on a Cerberus warship." the tone was final.

Shepard grunted. She'd expected this. Cerberus wasn't exactly on good ground with the rest of the galaxy.

She leaned in "We'll remain where we are. But I'll not allow any security forces over on my ship. I'll come over to yours. We'll speak face to face."

Much deliberation. Shepard heard low murmur in the transmission. She couldn't make out any words.

The voice returned. "Acceptable. Be here in 15 minutes. Denver out."

"He's a little on edge." Joker said.

"It's to be expected I suppose." she said. She keyed in her comm. "Mordin, meet me in the shuttle bay in 5 minutes, we're heading over to the alliance ship."

"Understood Shepard. Will be there in 5." the professor's voice chirped.

"You're taking Mordin?" Joker asked

"Figured it would be good to have someone who used to be in STG. Reliable source of intelligence."

"Ah, gotcha commander."

"Don't do anything that'd antagonize them while I'm gone, Joker." She said as she left for the shuttle bay.

"When would I ever do something like that?" he replied.

* * *

><p>Hayt grimaced as he tried to pull himself up from the bed. His wounds still hurt, and no amount of that foreign gel was going to stop them anytime soon.<p>

He looked up. He was in the ship's medical bay. It was clean and spartan, much like many medical facilities he'd visited over the years.

His side pierced with pain and he gritted his teeth. It didn't feel this bad before, hmph. . . bloody doctors . . .

With effort, he swung his legs around and attempted to get off the bed. He needed out, he was famished. he hadn't eaten since the night before. He grunted as his legs hit the floor, sending a shockwave of pain up his leg, but he limped on. He made his way over to the door, it opened for him.

Outside, he looked round for something. He saw a man behind a counter on the other side of the room. From his position in bed, he'd seen the man give out food to the crew. Hayt was famished and he limped over to the mess hall, up to him.

The mess hall officer looked at Hayt stagger up to his counter.

"So you're one of the new guys we just picked up, eh?"

Hayt nodded. "Seems that way. How can a guy get some food around around here?"

"Well, you're talking to the right guy, name's Sergeant Gardner, ships cook. Among other things besides."

Hayt's expression lit up, in his experience on a starship, the cooks were the best friends of everyone on board."

"So, what do I have to do to get some food off you, your doctor's had me on nothing but some nutrient paste."

The officer's expression turned to shock, "Shit! That stuff! When's the last time you had a proper meal?"

Hayt thought, "I actually can't remember, it'd be before Shepard picked us up on that planet."

The sergeant looked shocked. "Shii-it. I can't have you starving out on us. Ain't natural." he reached under the counter. "Dinner's at 6, but i can't leave you going that long without something. Chakwas is a fine doctor, one of the best. But the food in there's god awful. Even worse than our rations, heh."

He pulled out what looked like a tray covered in clear plastic.

"It ain't gourmet crap if that's what you're thinking, but's it's solid and packed fulla' protein." he handed it to Hayt, who accepted it with great thanks.

"Thank you." He outstretched his right hand. "Major Hayt. At your service."

"Nice to meet you, Major." he clasped the soldier's hands and shook it. The man had a firm grip.

"I'll leave you to your work, Gardner, I've got a belly to fill."

"Heh, yeah. Don't tell Chakwas I gave you that. That woman'll have my head."

Hayt chuckled. He decided he liked this Gardner.

As he left he thought he heard the man mumble something. Something about getting back to work maybe?

He looked round the mess hall, a tiny thing, just several tables or so. A couple of people were chatting at one of them. he ventured over to the empty table and tore off the plastic coating on his meal. He picked up what looked like a slab of meat like substance and took a bite. It tasted of nothing in particular. Probably for the best, he thought. But it was chewy and solid, and his starved stomach greedily accepted it.

As Hayt ate. Zaeed made his way into the mess hall. He walked up to Gardner, talked for a minute before they both exchanged something on their omnitools. Then gardner pulled out a bottle of something and handed it to Zaeed. They laughed and left each other.

Zaeed saw Hayt wrestling with his meal. He approached the Major and sat down opposite.

"You're that other fella from the planet aren't you?"

Hayt put his piece of mystery food down. "Yeah? You are?"

"Zaeed Masanni!" the man replied and removed the bottle's cap. He took a drink.

"Major Hayt," the imperial replied.

Zaeed looked at him. "You're a soldier, through and through, I can tell. Got an eye for these things." he grunted, "heh, one of 'em anyway."

He took another drink. " but what about you, what's your story. Haven't seen you about the ship."

Hayt nodded towards the med bay. "Been stuck in there till now. The doctor left, and I escaped."

He looked round to the med bay, "Ha! Man after my own heart. I swear to you bloody doctors. . .they'll kill you sooner than the bullets." he offered the bottle to Hayt, who took it. He took a drink, he coughed.

"bloody good stuff isn't it?" Zaeed grinned and accepted the bottle back. "Illegal most places now.. . "

Hayt recovered. "So what's your story then? I know a fellow soldier when I see one as well."

Zaeed chuckled. "Soldier's not the word you're looking for. . .Mercenary's more like it. Tagging along with high and mighty Shepard in the deal of a lifetime." he gestured theatrically with his arms and took a sip. "Bloody good pay. Have to hunt collectors more often."

He looked at Hayt. "But you still haven't told me your story. Come on then, don't leave an old man in suspense. You in the army, or. . .your army?"

Hayt nodded. He chewed on his protein bar. "Major Hayt, originally with the 14th Bellrec Stormtroopers. got scouted by the Inquistion, been with the inquisitor ever since."

"That's the old man right?" Zaeed asked. Hayt nodded. "That man gets the job done!" Zaeed exclaimed. "I've seen the footage from the merc outpost. Your old man did a number on the mercs there, bloody tore 'em to shreds."

Hayt grinned, yeah that did sound like Eisenmus. "That old man is the most dangerous person I know." he said.

Zaeed looked back to him. "Stormtroopers, you said? I take it that ain't alliance?"

Hayt shook his head. "Where we're from, Stormtroopers are the elite spec forces."

"Ah, some fancy high roller then are you? How many missions you been on?"

Hayt struggled to recall. The old adage was true. Put any two soldiers together and almost immediately they'll start comparing war stories.

"Can't recall exactly, somewhere around 200."

"Bullshit!" Zaeed said. "I must be half as old as you again and I haven't done anywhere near that."

Hayt grinned. "There's no shame in losing to the best."

Zaeed snorted, "Ha! the best! I could run rings around you anyday of the week, sunshine."

He gave the bottle to Hayt again, who took another swig. He grimaced.

Zaeed accepted the bottle back, nodding, "now you're getting it, sunshine." and took another drink.

* * *

><p>As the new alliance arrivals came within visual range, the Normandy was dwarfed by their mass. Unlike the Normandy, whose form was sleek from bow to stern, every inch curved and angled in such a way to minimise detection, these new vessels were anything but. They made no attempt at subtlety or aesthetics. Each armed with a bow mounted cannon, they homed in on the Normandy's position, taking great care to keep their forward guns facing to two suspicious ships.<p>

From one of the suspicious ships, the one that had identified itself as the Normandy. A shuttle zoomed out from its hangar and made a path towards the alliance ships. It crossed the no man's land in the void and slowed to enter the hangar of the closest ship.

The hangar resonated with the shuttle's downwash. Its engine cries reverberating throughout the hard metal container. It touched down and the engines stopped, Shepard disembarked.

She looked at her welcoming party. The captain stood in the centre, obviously, she thought. A short, bulky man with short shaved brown hair and stubble to match. It gave the impression of a prickly animal. He was observing her closely.

She glanced around at the other figures. An awful lot of security for what should be a dialogue, she thought.

As she neared him, he spoke, "Commander Shepard? Shit, it really is you."

"In the flesh. Now can you help us or not?" She wasn't in the mood for any political or tactical conversation.

He nodded. Taken aback by the abruptness. "Yes, we have supplies being collected as we speak, but we don't have enough transport space to move them all, so we've sent out a request for a cargo ship to come in and get them out."

She nodded. "Good."

"However Shepard, I have some questions."

"I do too" she said, " But I don't want to ask you. I would request to speak to admiral Hackett."

The captain looked perplexed. What about?" he narrowed his eyes.

"That's between myself and the good admiral." she replied. "I have intel that he'd be extremely excited to hear."

"The admiral is a very busy man, Shepard. He can't just.. . "

"Indulge me, captain." she knew she was pushing her luck here. "Put a message through to the admiral saying you've just picked up Shepard from a Cerberus vessel along with an STG agent who have information on why the colonists are disappearing." she gestured to Mordin beside her, who gave a grin. "If he doesn't want to talk, fine. I'll go with you. Until then, I'm not answering any of your questions."

The captain looked at her. She looked back. They glared at each other. Eventually, he relented. He sighed and looked to one of his junior officers behind him.

"Alright, contact the admiral. Tell him Commander Shepard and an STG agent would like a word with him." The officer saluted and exited the hangar.

Shepard nodded the man. "Thank you."

He snorted, "We'll see. . ."

* * *

><p>As it turns out, Hackett wasn't as busy as the captain claimed he was.<p>

Shepard was waiting in the hangar with Mordin when the captain returned to them.

"Admiral hackett would like to speak with you." he said, through gritted teeth.

She nodded and offered her thanks. No need to salt the wound any further.

She and Mordin were 'escorted', for want of a better word, through the ship to the cruiser's comm room. When they arrived her guards left her and the professor in the comm room. No doubt keeping a close watch outside though.

She stepped up to the control panel. She checked to see if Mordin was beside her. She reached out and activated the panel. Moments later, an image of Admiral Hackett walked into view

"Admiral." she said and saluted.

"Shepard. You're supposed to be dead."

She smiled, "Sorry to disappoint you, admiral."

His expression didn't soften. "There were rumours, Shepard. . .Rumours that you were working for Cerberus." he paused. His face hardened. "I can see from your uniform they weren't unfounded."

Shepard looked at her uniform, at the offending orange and white logo sewn on her chest. "I'm using Cerberus for their resources. No one else is doing anything to help against the collectors!"

To her surprise Hackett nodded, "I've been getting reports on those attacks, Shepard. Reports of attacks on our colonies have increased. But don't lose the picture Shepard. Cerberus may be using you."

Shepard shook her head and keyed in her omnitool. The big picture?! Hundreds, thousands of colonists go missing and she's supposed to look at the big picture?

She all but hammered the controls on her omnitool "I'm sending you pictures of an attack that took place on Freedom's Progress." she tried hard to keep the irritation out of her voice, "I was there only minutes after the attack. Nothing left but a traumatised quarian."

"Copy that, hold on Shepard." Hackett went off screen for a second, he returned.

"Tech's just verified the images. No photo-manipulation." he paused, his brow furrowed, "This. . .this is good Shepard. With these images I'll be able to force this before the council."

"Thank you for taking this seriously." she replied. "Its about damn time."

She keyed in her omnitool again. "There's another matter that i need to talk to you."

"What is it?"

"I'm sending you images and data of people we picked up on a planet called Charles' Rock. they don't seem alliance types but I have to be sure they weren't something you were cooking up."

Hackett looked offscreen at the info that Shepard forwarded to him.

"I'm confused Shepard, who are these people?"

"I was hoping you could tell me. Like I said we picked them up on Charles' Rock. We've confirmed three of them are human." she saw his expression peak.

"Human?" he asked, sceptical.

"yes, sir. Three of them are human. I ask if there were any failed colony attempts after Arcturus."

Hackett shook his head. "No, nothing. This is very strange Shepard."

Shepard nodded, agreeing with the admiral.

"Where are they now?" he asked.

"On board, sir. I couldn't leave them stranded on that planet."

"Hmm. suppose not. What would be your immediate take on the matter Shepard?"

She hesitated, unsure of where to start. "I honestly don't know where they came from, sir. Or how they got here, and from speaking with them, I don't think they do either." she continued, "They do have several items of advanced tech i've never seen before. Powered armour and infantry grade laser weaponry, but other than that" she shrugged. "I'm at a loss of what to think of them."

Hackett considered this. "Keep an eye on them, Shepard. But otherwise they're not important, these colonists are the priority. If they want to share some of that tech, then by all means share it. Anything new we could learn from them would give us more bargaining chips with the council."

Shepard nodded. She had come to the same conclusion. Portable laser weaponry? The other races of the galaxy would kill for something like that. Humanity had already upturned the galactic way of war with our deployment of carriers, throwing centuries of military tradition on its head. What'd it be like if the alliance started fitting out their ships with laser weaponry? Weapons that fired with total precision and speed, completely negating kinetic barriers of even the strongest capital ships.

"Shepard, I know you don't think it, but we take our responsibilities to the outer colonies very seriously. If you can get any more information on these collectors. I want you to share it, the more data we can show the council, the more pressure they'll be under to do something."

He configured something out of sight, off screen from the hologram. "Take this data to Councillor Udina on the citadel. He'll bring the full force of humanity's legal department against the council to take action. He's a snake, but a snake that knows how to get things done."

Shepard nodded. "I'll do what I can, sir."

Hackett smiled. "maybe you're not with Cerberus." he paused. "It's good to see you up and about again Shepard"

She smiled. "Thank you admiral, it's good to be back."

"Hackett out."

The image disappeared and fizzed out. Shepard breathed out. "That was easier than I thought" she said, turning to Mordin. "Sorry for bringing you along for nothing."

The prof simled. "Think nothing of it. Good to get off ship from time to time. never toured alliance vessel before. Fascinating."

She stepped off the holo podium and walked up to him. "Time to get back to the Normandy." she said. Mordin nodded in agreement. They made their way to the exit, looking to inform their 'supervisors' they were ready to leave. . .

* * *

><p>After returning, Shepard made straight for the cockpit. Joker was present in his usual position. He saw her approach and nodded.<p>

"Hey Commander. We ready to get out of here, I mean, I like seeing the alliance and everything but they do have some very big guns and we're on a Cerberus frigate."

Shepard gave him a quizzical look,

"Nah? Just me then? after the collector ship I've gotten angsty about ships with bigger guns. . ."

Shepard looked out into space. Several vast alliance ships hung motionless, silently in space. Invisible save for the areas illuminated by their exterior spotlights. The closest, the cruiser, had massive stencilled letters GERMANIA displayed proudly across its hull.

Shepard always wondered why they did that. It's not like anybody's going to see it . . .

"Plot a course for the citadel, Joker. Let's pay a visit to our beloved councillor."

"Aye aye commander. Plotting course for the citadel. It'll be good to be back in civilised space."

Shepard sighed, "I hear that, Joker." She walked out of the cockpit as she felt the ship's drives spool up underneath her.

* * *

><p>The Serpent's Nebula relay flashed in a blaze of light as the Normandy appeared in a crackle of arcing power. The engines wound down from their high pitched whine and started to power the Normandy in towards the centre of galactic government.<p>

The citadel, built by those long forgotten, was the centre of politics, culture, and power in the known universe. Discovered 1500 years ago by the asari, it's been expanded and developed into the massive megalopolis that it is now.

Eisenmus stood in the observation window, looking at the station that everyone he'd met seemed to be in awe of, joining him was the Kelly woman. She'd been given leave by Shepard to try and learn as much as she could about. . .Eisenmus thought for a second, "their culture, history and ways of life." he snorted under his breath and shook his head. He'd allowed it on the basis that to refuse would've caused more trouble and annoyance than it would have been worth. Besides, all she'd done is ask the odd question about the imperium, anything a scholam juvie would know.

He looked at her now, she was gleaming.

"Takes my breath away every time I see it." she said, her eyes attached to the station in the viewscreen. She looked at them, "oh come on, cheer up! you're looking at the political centre of the galaxy. The largest space station ever constructed!"

That piqued Eisenmus' interest. At this distance size meant nothing, the absolute emptiness of space making a mockery of all scale.

"How large is it?" he asked. The file on the citadel he had read had skimmed over the dimensions.

She turned to him, "It's over 45 km long! Imagine!"

Eisenmus grunted. 45 kms. . . An impressive size to be sure, but hardly the largest structure he'd ever witnessed. He turned to the woman, taken over by a mischievous streak.

"You said you wanted to learn about where we came from?" he asked her.

"Yes, that's right." her eyes gleamed with that detestable optimism.

He stood up, "The Imperium is vast, Yeoman Chambers. And this vast empire requires starships to enforce and protect it. The greatest shipyards in the imperium encircle the planet you know now as Jupiter." he paused. He could clearly see her hanging on every word. She was no doubt recording this as well. Let them listen, he thought.

"The Jovian shipyards are the greatest structure aside from Luna the imperium has ever built. They are vast. The largest being well over 100 km in length. They form a sporadic belt around the gas giant that obscures its natural ring system." he grinned, "The finest ships in the imperium are constructed there." he remembered looking out a viewscreen, much like this one, onto the great shipyards of Jupiter. Millions of lights twinkled in a circle around the planet, forming a crown while swirling bands of roiling clouds travelled across the surface.

He blinked, and brought himself back. The yeoman was looking at him. She shook her head.

"Something like that. . . " she said, "The sheer logistics needed. . . " her smile returned. "That's something I would love to see someday."

Eisenmus looked at her, regarded her. Shook his head and sighed and turned his head back to the viewport.

The image had grown in the window. He could make out individual pinpricks of lights zooming from place to place. The criss-cross of what were obviously traffic flights or lanes on the inside of the great outer sections. He could feel the woman's stare on him.

"Did you mean it?" Kelly asked.

"Mean what?" the inquisitor replied.

"Does your imperium really have shipyards a hundred kms in length?"

He nodded. "All true. The Jovian ones are the largest, and produce countless ships annually for the navy and trade houses."

"See!" she continued, "Navy! Trade Houses! There's so much you haven't told me! When can I get you to tell me more!"

Eisenmus sighed inwardly, this wasn't going to go away. She would keep bugging them and bugging them until they relented. The odd question now and then wasn't so bad. But what she wanted was an interrogation, and Eisenmus didn't like giving too much away.

He looked to the citadel. It almost looked like something the tau would build if they got the chance. Smooth form lines and gently sloping curves. Inimical to the blessed machines of the Imperium.

He wasn't going to tell them about the navy. He decided that. They may be long removed from imperial space but they were not so far gone that he would divulge the workings of the Emperor's fleet.

But then again. . . he needed to give them something. To tide them over for a while. He thought, what would be safe to show them?

He turned to her "I'll get the magos to transfer some data about our history and culture to your system" he said. Throne knows how I'm going to get Hakkon to agree to that, he thought.

Her face brightened even more. "Great! That's great! I'll get the . . .oh, good afternoon commander!"

They turned to see Shepard enter the room.

"As you were, yeoman." she said and approached the viewscreen. She turned to Kelly, "Kelly could you wait outside for one minute?"

"Of course, commander." she said and left the commander alone with the imperial.

They watched the still view outside for a moment in silence.

"I've just been speaking with the higher ups." Shepard started, not taking her gaze away from the planet below.

"Yes?" Eisenmus replied.

"They're not sure what to make of you yet. I think they honestly don't really care."

"Better to be anonymous than to have the envy of the powerful."

"hmph. Ain't that the truth."

"What's to become of us, Shepard?" Eisenmus asked bluntly.

She paused, she had wondered this herself, "I don't know. At the moment you don't draw too much attention, but that won't last."

"Are you to detain us?"

"No." she replied. "And I wouldn't if they ordered me. I don't like some of your views, but a person's a person."

The response took him off guard. "I am grateful for you assistance these past few days. All my team are."

"but not the eldar?"

"I cannot vouch for them. The xenos have their own drives and motives."

"hmm" she replied and the two returned to staring at the window.

"Are you heading down there?" Eisenmus asked.

"Yeah. I have to meet with the human councillor, Udina." she saw his quizzical look, "He's . . our spokesperson to the other races."

A long pause descended over the two. Shepard looked over, his expression was one of concentration. He was thinking about something, she thought. Whatever it was, it was important.

"I want to go with you." Eisenmus said.

Her eyebrow raised, "Oh, Why?"

He extended a hand up to his viewpoint. From his perspective, the station was entirely held within his grasp.

"This… citadel. I have read many things about it. So called centre of the galaxy!" he scoffed. Appalled that humanity gave consent to be ordered around by xenos on this station. "If this is your capital, I would see it for myself."

She nodded, "nearly everyone wants to visit the citadel at some point in their lives." she looked at him. "Yeah, you're welcome to come along. Just leave your armour on the ship. It'll only draw attention we don't want."

He nodded. "I thought the same." he brought up his omnitool.

"Another thing. I know i push my chances here. But my Magos has compiled a list of items that we need if we're to remain with you for any length of time. As you may have guessed, we're not getting any extra supplies any time soon."

She nodded, "Send it to mine."

He looked at the thing, confused. He swiped a couple of times, which did nothing. "I apologize, I don't know how to do that."

Shepard grinned, "No problem. Let me help." she helped him with the transfer.

"I'll get this seen to" she more likely Kelly will, she thought.

Another alert beep on her omnitool "i should go." she said, "We should be about ten minutes out from the station. Be at the airlock then."

He nodded and Shepard left the inquisitor gazing out the viewscreen, at the ever increasing citadel station. His mind wandered to the untold millions of xenos that swarmed about it.

Their numbers seemed to impress themselves upon him, upon the observation room. There was no-one else there. Deathly quiet. Only the hum of the ship's engines and his own half visible reflection in the viewscreen reminded him that the room wasn't open to the empty void beyond the glass.

For the first time, in this room, Eisenmus felt how truly alone they were in this place.

How far away from His light they were.

He lowered his head as the space station consumed the entire field of view outside.

"Emperor guide me." he whispered to the empty room.


	6. The Citadel

Meh, Sunday/Saturday . . . One day late's not too bad I say :P

Keep up the excellent reviews people, I do consider the potential merits of each one so the more that's put into each review only helps the story more!

As for those complaining about grammar, you have every right to! Every time I do what I think is a thorough check and every time more slips through. You have my sincere apologizes for this as I know myself bad grammar can jar a good story terribly. I'm working through my previous chapters to try and fix as many as I can find.

Anyway. . . .

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Six: The Citadel<strong>

Vast clamps extended from the station's docking area. The Normandy slowed its approach to a crawl as it closed in the final few metres. Slowly, no more than a mile an hour, a glacial pace for a ship that size. It hovered over the magnetic clamps before the attraction took hold.

They crashed into the side of the vessel with a thud. Once the control systems were satisfied a boarding tunnel extended from the station. It joined with the Normandy with a hiss of pressurization and air seals.

The station bound crew were ordered to meet at the airlock area, just behind the cockpit. Eisenmus and Hayt were the first to arrive. They stood nervously, not knowing what to expect on this xenos infested station. The stormtrooper looked to the inquisitor,

"Are you sure this is the right course of action, my lord?" he asked for the thirtieth time. Eisenmus sighed and nodded.

"We will not be going to have dialogue with the xenos Hayt. I ask enough of you already." It would do well to put the man's mind at ease. "Watch for treachery and observe. We don't know anything about this place, this centre of power. Here, apparently, the balance of power in the galaxy rests. I would know why."

Hayt nodded, accepting, he knew his master had a good reason for going into a xeno held station.

Speaking of xenos. . .

The one called Garrus was the next to arrive at the airlock. He wore his blue armour. The two watched him approach.

He saw their stares and nodded back to them. He looked at the stormtrooper. "Suppose this is your first time on the citadel?"

Hayt nodded back. "Yes, it is."

It waited, maybe for something more before shrugging and leaning up against a bulkhead.

The next to arrive was the bulbous eyed one. Unlike its predecessor, it walked up to the group and began animatedly chatting away.

"Newcomers joining us on citadel? Interesting. Fascinating. First true exposure to citadel culture. Reactions expected, may catalogue, useful for future interspecies contact." he looked at the two. "Reasonably sure will be able to adapt." he smiled at them. Eisenmus merely nodded back. He would acknowledge it, but that didn't mean he had to take pleasure in its presence.

It continued on its incessant narrative. "Still, yourselves probably used to large metropolitan area. Similarities likely with own cities, also differences. Will have to ask you on that later." it looked at them, as if expecting an answer. Eisenmus nodded again. That had seemed to satisfy it the previous time.

It turned to the other alien, the mandibled one. "Excited to return to citadel after time on Omega?" he asked it.

Garrus shuffled his shoulders. "Ehh It'll be good to go somewhere not smelling in filth. . but nothings changed since the attack with Sovereign, still the broken bureaucratic shit as ever. Still, be good to see the Praesidium again."

Mordin nodded. "Never been to Praesidium myself. Told its well worth it."

"It's alright, we won't be staying long though." a new voice from behind the two of them. Shepard walked up. Mordin parted to make room for her.

"Hello Shepard." he smiled. " Pleased to be returning to the citadel?"

She grunted, "yeah, if under better circumstances."

"We good to go? Everybody's here." Garrus asked.

She shook her head. "Not yet. There's one more."

"Who?" Garrus asked.

"That would be me." Glaedara answered and approached them from the CIC. The manipled one shrugged.

"Ah! Excellent!" Mordin exclaimed. "Good to have you with us, Glaedara. Your first time off the ship, should be very exciting!"

She responded in much the same way as the inquisitor. She nodded her head to the salarian.

Shepard waved him down. "Yeah that's enough" she said. "The lady says she wants to come along, I don't want you pestering her."

She shot a look at Eisenmus, who was looking at the eldar. What is the deal with these two? she wondered. She dismissed it in view of the mission.

"Alright team? We good to go?"

A chorus of yes and ayes returned to her. She nodded.

"Alright, Joker open the door!" she yelled up to the cockpit.

"No problem commander, have fun out there." The light above the airlock door turned green and the bulkhead revolved and opened. In front of them was the long corridor of the docking tunnel. Shepard began to walk along it. The group followed.

Eisenmus made his way to be level with the farseer. "Since when were you on this expedition?" He hadn't been notified of this beforehand.

She looked down at him. "I could ask you the same thing."

"I'm here for knowledge. What are you here for?" Eisenmus swore he could see the flicker of amusement in her features

"Much the same reason. . . this mission takes us a distance away from your trinket. The further I am from it. The clearer I can see."

Eisenmus digested this, he nodded. "I'm still not letting you out of my sight," he said. She shrugged.

"Think what you will, monkeigh. We both need to find out what's going on. . ." she looked directly at him. "And that would go a lot smoother if you ceased your bickering."

He riled, stared back. Their stares locked, neither one backing down.

"You two alright back there?" came a voice from further up the walkway. Garrus had called back to them. The others were further on, continuing their march to the station.

That broke the stalemate, they broke off.

"Yes." Eisenmus replied and resumed walking along the ramp.

Glaedara nodded to the manipled alien, who nodded back and turned.

Glaedara sighed. _I told you that I will command you if I want him dispatched, not before! she thought._

She felt her ranger beside her look at her. Eleiyra had snuck up on the Inquisitor from the back under cloak. She had her weapon drawn and held her blade a short distance from the monkeigh's back.

_He was clearly threatening you! came the thought reply. Only give the command and I. . ._

_You are to do nothing without my direct approval. Continue with your scouting. Stay in proximity. I will call for you if I need you._

Frustration, hesitation. . . she felt the thoughts drift across the surface of the ranger's mind.

_Yes, farseer,_ came the reply. She felt her companion's invisible, psychic presence move further up the ramp. She followed.

* * *

><p>Shepard and Mordin were the first to the other end of the docking path. They arrived in a wide, low room that ran parallel to the docked ships along the station's interior. She turned and looked out onto the citadel proper. A wall of glass behind her showed the citadel opposite in all its glory. Millions of lights shimmered off in the distance. However, being this close, the Normandy took up most of her view.<p>

Seeing it now from the outside, it is truly a majestic ship, Shepard thought.

They'd arrived in one of the large docking wings of the citadel, close to the tip of one of its great arms. To her left and right she saw other spacecraft, similarly docked with the station.

She and mordin waited at the top of the ramp for those at the back to catch up. The stragglers caught up with the rest of the group and continued on.

They approached the entrance to the hangar. Eisenmus saw what looked to him like a checkpoint up ahead. It was staffed with aliens, with a single human at the what looked like a reception desk.

The group approached the checkpoint. Eisenmus saw a monstrous beast standing at one of the counters. A massive bulky quadruped without a head to speak of, merely a face on its front.

It droned on in a monotonous voice to the alien behind the counter.

He tore his gaze away from the monstrosity as a security guard waved through the group. The alien had a weapon. Eisenmus had grudgingly, and with great persuasion, left his weapon on the ship.

Such a fool. He thought to himself.

Back at the head of the group, Shepard continued on through the next door.

This room was small, compared to the wide open hangar that they exited. To the left and right of him, the walls had horizontal strips of reflective glass. In front of them, there was an alien, turian they called them, standing at what looked like a control console.

He spoke,"Ok, If you could just step up please." he sounded bored, though Eisenmus couldn't tell. The guard waved the group forward. They stepped forward in the room.

The turian configured the control panel. His face changed. he configured it again. then again.

"Something wrong?" Shepard asked.

"Sorry madam." he said. His attention reverting back to the panel. "This is showing unrecognised citizens in your group."

She smiled, "I was declared KIA two years ago."

"Yes ma'am. But its not just you, his eyes darted to the back of the group. The two men at the back don't have IDs. He looked to the left. "And I'm afraid the scanner's displaying an anomaly for the lady at the back. It doesn't know what she is ma'am."

Shepard slumped, there was no way of getting through this without explaining.

"The woman at the back. . . " she began. She looked at Glaedara, "She's from a new species. You wouldn't have her profile in the database."

The guard froze. His fingers stopped typing on the holopad. He looked up at the woman. Glaedara looked back at him.

"I have to ask you to remain here while I contact my superior." he said. This was way over his pay grade. He flicked some controls on his omnitool.

Shepard waved theatrically in response and the guard disappeared behind the far door. The group was left alone in the room.

Shepard sighed. "Security's been beefed up since I was last here." she said to Garrus.

"You don't know the half of it. Since Sovereign's attack. The council's been blaming everyone they can about a 'geth infiltration of citadel systems"' his digits made human like air quotes.

"Don't suppose anyone's told them it wasn't the geth that infiltrated the citadel?" she replied.

"Oh, many have. They just don't listen. Much easier to blame it on something tangible. Something more convenient."

She looked round to the farseer. " I'm sorry about all this. This is what I was talking about when I was talking to you earlier."

She nodded back to her. Shepard had talked with her about this earlier, whenever Glaedara had mentioned she wanted to go with her to the citadel.

"It doesn't concern me." she said, her voice having lost none of the sweet musical tones since she first arrived. "This was to happen sooner or later. My presence would not have went unnoticed indefinitely."

The far door opened and the guard returned with a stocky, middle aged human.

"Aw-right, what's this I hear about a new species?" he approached them, hands on hips.

Shepard turned, she was presumably spokesperson now. "I'm sorry, who are you?"

"Captain Bailey at your service. I've been told by Haron here, " he gestured with his thumb, "that there's some unknown species knocking on my door?"

"That's right," Shepard gestured to Glaedara. "This one's from a race called the eldar. I was hoping we'd be allowed to go through.

The man's hand came up to his face. He shook his head. "Sorry, can't allow that. Protocol is strict on first contact. Hell, I didn't even think we'd have to use it , but rules are rules. I'm sorry, I have to ask you to wait here."

This was unwelcome, Shepard thought. If they stayed here they'd only attract attention. And she had a mission to be getting on with.

If subtly fails. . .she thought, there's always the head on approach, she thought. She levelled a stare at the man.

"Captain Bailey," she began, "do you know who I am?"

"Ma'am?"

"I asked you a question."

"You're commander Shepard ma'am. First human spectre."

She grinned wryly. "Good, I did not come back from the dead to sit and wait for the council to shift their pampered asses. I need to get to the alliance embassy. This is a matter of importance."

The captain brought his arms up, "Shepard, listen I'd like to help, but. ."

Mordin joined in,

"Shepard is a member of the alliance military, even if KIA, enlistment from military never revoked. Against citadel law to restrict her movement to sovereign citadel embassy."

The man rubbed his chin more. Shepard could almost hear the gears turning. "Shit. Right, you can come through Shepard, but I apologize but we have to keep the woman at the back here."

"Also unlawful." Mordin voiced again, "Eldar female known as Glaedara seeks asylum with alliance embassy. Under citadel Act 22-3 she is entitled to be escorted to embassy by any official officer or military personnel of sovereign nation."

At this cue, Shepard put up her hand.

"That would be me." Thank god for that crazy salarian, she thought.

The poor captain struggled for an answer. The finer points of citadel law were beyond him.

"But. . I can't just let you. . ."

"Put message through to council." Mordin continued, " If ordered to detain us then you may carry out your orders. Until then, we must be allowed to pass."

His face strained as he strained to think of a way out of the legal bind. He relented.

"Fine. I'm letting you through. But expect to see me in 20 mins with my boot up your ass." He swiped the controls of his omnitool and the door behind them opened into the citadel beyond. The group stepped through.

"Oh and by the way" he called out after them. A devilish grin took his face as he spoke to the eldar. "On behalf of the council welcome to the goddamn citadel!"

* * *

><p>Eleiyra had seen the male, human newcomer arrive through the door and slipped through unnoticed when he had entered. The door had shut behind her, but she still felt the farseer through the door.<p>

Good, she thought, straightening up and looking around her. The farseer had given her instruction to find out as much about this place and people as possible.

Difficult, but not impossible, in a space station.

She glided out into a large open courtyard on this side of the door, rifle ready. She was stood on a wide promenade balcony overlooking lower terraces down below. She spied a great may of their grav-cars and more stalls down below.

She looked up. Over her, a great glass roof curved overhead, the other side was space. She saw the great curvature of the station. The far sections of it far off in the distance. She followed them to their point of origin. They all converged on a vast ring to Eleiyra's left, she could only see the top half, the bottom half obscured by the buildings.

The size. . . she breathed in. She frowned. The scale didn't feel the same through her helmet.

She wandered around the immediate area. She observed the inhabitants going about their business, all oblivious.

It was fantastic to be out of the ship again! Granted, she was merely in another, bigger ship but here there was space. There was cavernous rooms, hangars, open areas. Her gaze caught a twinkle of light moving in front of the far arms of the station. With a thought, her helmet zoomed in to the area in question. She saw it was a ship. Long and angular.

Strange, she thought. This place reminded her of the craftworld. So many years ago. Sure, it was bulky and a little soulless.

A pang of sorrow wanted to rear up inside her. She suppressed it as she always did. Nevertheless. . .she touched a ceiling support near to her.

Nothing. Nothing rose within the structure to sing back to her. To give her comfort or guidance. Soulless. . .how true that remark was.

_Eleiyra, we are moving, we are not in danger. Remain in proximity._

The command was issued to her from Glaedara. Her attention shot back to her. She focussed.

Her instruments told her the farseer was being moved towards the door. A second later the door opened and the group entered through.

Eleiyra scanned the streets around her. Busy. She needed somewhere emptier. Up to now she'd stayed to one side, keeping out of the busy pedestrian traffic that went about the station. She silently sprinted towards a nearby support and ran up it, she clasped it for a second and propelled herself off with a push of her feet. Spinning, she landed on a garish, flashing sign of a nearby building. This would do, she thought. The signs above the alien stalls were all roughly the same level.

She took note of their position below and began to tail them, silently jumping from one adjacent sign to the other.

Glaedara had insisted to wear her armour on this excursion.. Shepard had advised against it, but she'd been adamant.

Shepard looked at her now, she'd stripped back nearly all the decoration that Shepard had discovered her in. Her backpack, shoulder pads, cloak and heavy wrist greaves were gone. Here, she wore the slim matte blue armour plates that Shepard had found her in. Around her waist was tied a thick white midband and a lower robe the same colour as her armour obscured her legs. She had forgone her helmet. With much reluctance. . .

She had practically spared everything but the very basic aspects on her person. But what aspects they were! Each section of her armour was as a work of art. Compared to the others around her, she looked like royalty.

Looking now, Shepard realised how much of a failure her efforts to avoid attention were. The woman had been on the ship for several days now, Shepard had gotten used to seeing the armour. Seeing it now in comparison with the factory stamped sets of the citadel attendants and guards was almost laughable.

She took amusement in passing a trio of asari, clad in what Shepard understood to be the height of fashion at the time. Some slim, modest dresses of understated colours and minimal patterns. Though she had to admit, done right, the dresses drew attention to the face and complimented the beauty of the wearer magnificently.

Glaedara made them look like peasant's robes. Shepard saw their heads turn and follow this new arrival, this queen that had just landed in their midst. What conversation the asari had been having was immediately forgotten.

She sighed, she could see more heads turning. Not just asari but humans as well. Just until the air taxi, she thought. Then we can be straight to the Presidium and away from overly curious eyes. It was only short walk from the docks to a taxi terminal. The group passed a series of advertising boards, flashing with their products.

"Commander Shepard, enter the password and receive a free gift!" a voice projected.

She halted, turned.

"You hear that?" she asked the others.

"Yeah," Garrus replied. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"Face flashed on advertising board." Mordin said, he pointed to one of them. "Human, female. Didn't recognise her."

They looked at it. It currently displayed a rotating picture of a new drink.

The image changed abruptly. The image of a woman's face shrouded in a grey hood flashed on the screen.

"Got problems with collectors?" try Kasumi credit services!"

"What the?. ." Garrus looked around suspiciously for anything.

"It's alright Garrus," Shepard brought up her arm to reassure him. "I know what this is about."

Looking at the advert board, she cautiously approached it. The face flashed again before disappearing.

"Please tell me your password Commander Shepard."

Shepard folded her arms. "You know who I am Kasumi, I'm not here to play games."

"I heard you were hardcore Shepard, but i thought you'd be up for some intrigue. Kasumi Goto at your service. . .but apparently you already knew that."

"Wait.. . you know her?" Garrus asked. She nodded.

"She's one of the people we're recruiting to help us."

If a turian could bluster, Garrus did it. "Uh huh, any chance of letting us know this before hand?"

"Secrecy was paramount at the time," she said. She turned back to the ad board. "Has Cerberus filed you in on the mission?"

The image giggled, "Honestly I'm shocked they didn't come to see me sooner. My fault for being so hard to find I guess."

Shepard glanced behind her, several people had their heads turned towards this new conversation with a billboard.

"Do you mind if I transfer this to my omnitool, this isn't exactly the most subtle way of talking."

"Already done, Shepard." the voice came from her omnitool. She looked at it. There was a picture of the woman on the holo display. She winked. Her head disappeared from the billboard in front of her.

"Just for your information, Shepard, I'm very good."

Shepard couldn't deny that, though she resented her omnitool being hacked. "What's with the password and the sneaking around, you in trouble or something?"

"I'm the best thief in the business, though not the most famous. Need to watch my step to keep it that way. I also needed to make sure all of this was legit - now I know, you're the real commander Shepard."

Shepard looked at her chronometer. That officer Bailey had no doubt informed the council of their new visitor. They needed to hurry if they had any chance of getting to the alliance embassy unmolested.

"Glad for the vote of confidence. We're in a hurry here, Kasumi. I have to go. I'll discuss the details with you shortly."

* * *

><p>They arrived at a taxi terminal and Shepard hailed an air taxi. The standard ones wouldn't accommodate all her squad so instead of splitting the team up she called a heavier taxi.<p>

These larger models, being more scarce, took longer to arrive. She looked at the display on the terminal. She looked at a little measurement on the right hand side of the screen.

Airtaxi (capacity 6) found! ETA: 5m 11s

The timer gradually ticked down. She sighed and brought up Kasumi on the omnitool, now was a good a time as any.

She saw on her main home screen a new icon had appeared. It looked like a hood, three guesses who that was, she thought as she tapped it.

A familiar face appeared on the screen.

"Shepard?" her voice took on a theatrical surprise, "I know you said very soon but I didn't think you meant this soon?"

"Don't get comfortable, I've got five minutes 'till my transport arrives." she paused, "you haven't told me what brought you to work with Cerberus."

"That's. . . a bit of a long story. Short version, they were looking for me, so I trailed them to find out why." she grinned. "Turns out they were looking for someones to join you on important mission, and were offering a considerable signing bonus. I had a thing I needed help with, so I made a deal. And here we are."

Shepard shut her eyes. Why? Why must every member of her team need an errand? Couldn't the illusive man sorted these out beforehand?

"I assume this deal is something I should know about?"

"Yeah I guess it slipped their minds. I'm looking for my old partner's greybox. A man named Donovan Hock took it, and I'm planning to get it back."

"What, you planning a heist or something?" Shepard joked. The woman grinned back.

"Not here, Shepard. You'll get a briefing when the time comes. I need to nail down the details anyway. I've taken the liberty of getting you some evening wear, though. You'll want to look presentable."

Evening wear? she thought. In the distance she could see her air taxi break off from the main traffic lane. "If that's what Cerberus promised you, we'll get it done."

"It'll be fun, and if we're lucky, you won't even have to draw your gun. See you on the ship, Shepard!" with that the call to the woman cut out.

The members of the group turned to see their vehicle slow to a halt in front of them. It looked like the smaller four seater vehicles, only much bulkier. The canopy automatically lifted to reveal three rows of seats, two abreast.

They embarked and the taxi scooted away from the terminal and off towards the Presidium.

The air car gracefully followed the routes towards the Presidium, the great ring in the centre of the station. Millions of similar cars scurried around them, crisscrossing the station in lines of air traffic.

In the car, Shepard sat next to Garrus in the front seats.

"Shepard, can I ask, why did you bring her? " he gestured to Glaedara sitting in the back seat, currently looking out the window. "You must've known about the scanners, or even the looks she'd get." Garrus asked

Inwardly, she agreed with the turian.

"One, because she asked. And two, call it . .politics." she replied. She pointed to her chestplate, at the Cerberus logo. "A great many people think I've thrown in my lot with Cerberus, abandoned the citadel for human interests. If I bring a new alien species with me, one no ones seen before, that's got to count for something."

A wry grin appeared on the turian's face. "Clever Shepard, just one catch. A race of only two. How're going to explain that?"

"I'm not, I'm just going to say she's an undiscovered race and leave it at that."

"You really think the they'll buy that?"

"Maybe, maybe not, doesn't matter. I need to talk to Udina, if the council's busy with her, they're not pestering me."

Garrus nodded along then grunted, "politics, keep me out of it."

"Tough, I'm assigning you to accompany her where-ever she goes, congratulations Garrus,

"What? Why?"

"To show Cerberus can also work with turians," the grin hadn't left her face. "politics, Garrus."

He grunted. "I didn't realise you had such a calculating bastard inside you Shepard."

She smiled back. "Says the one with the constant stick up his ass."

"That stick is called a backbone Shepard, if you're going to start a career in politics, I don't expect you to understand."

Shepard scoffed, "Ha! I'll remember that."

* * *

><p>The aircar descended in one of the Presidium landing pads. Past those reserved for the public, this one was in the midst of the Presidium itself, only a stone's throw away from the council tower itself.<p>

They stepped out into the vast landscaped space. They stood on a raised landing structure built into the dwellings that lined the Presidium ring. The curvature of the station peeled up on both sides of the landing pad. The interior green fields and landscaped river meandering up and up in a circle.

To the newcomers, this was quite a shock.

The imperials looked up at the structure around them. The low buildings around the edges of the walls and the landscaped gardens along the exterior of the ring.

It almost looked peaceful.

Their illusions were shattered as they looked over the barriers of the landing field. Below them, hundreds, maybe thousands of xenos walked along the walkways and stood conversing on the balconies of the buildings.

They stopped admiring the architecture.

Eisenmus turned to Hayt "Be on your guard. This is a place far from His light."

Hayt nodded. He could see the soldier in his servant's eyes, making a mental note of any nearby aliens.

Eisenmus had wanted to come, to see the capital for himself. He told himself this was a scouting mission, a chance to know his enemy.

Was it the correct choice?

* * *

><p>After all the other crew disembarked, another figure, unseen by everyone else hopped off the top of the car.<p>

Despite being invisible, Eleiyra took cover behind the mass of the car as the others made their way towards a nearby building. The farseer was with them.

The ride here had not been pleasant, but she would do as the farseer commanded.

Unseen, unheard, she paced over the edge of the landing platform and hopped off onto the ground below. She landed with a quiet thud on the grass.

Now, she'd begin to find out what she could about their new hosts.

* * *

><p>Shepard sat with Udina in the alliance embassy. She grasped a glass of . . actually she didn't know what it was. Some drink they serve around here a lot apparently. Udina had spoken highly of it.<p>

Currently though, his mood was not so jubilant.

He clasped his hands together in front of him, they were brought up to his mouth. He spoke through tight lips.

"Shepard. . . You're not a politician so I don't expect you to know these things. But what the HELL were you thinking?"

Shepard's expression remained confused. It had remained like that since a short while into the conversation?'

"We had to get here Udina. They wouldn't have let us through the gate if we hadn't . " she waved with her hand, "bent the truth a little."

"Bent the truth? Fabricating made up laws? What was it, act 22-3? you know there's no such thing! Ohh. . .they'll love this. Humans bending the rules for their own use, holding secret collaborations with unknown species. . ."

"I'll explain it to them if I must. But I came here to give you this." she detached a tiny portable hard drive from her omni tool and handed it to Udina. Less than an inch square, he took it carefully from Shepard.

"What's this?" he asked. Curiosity getting the better of him. He inserted it into his own omnitool.

"Information from admiral Hackett, and myself. . " she explained as he viewed the data. An image of Freedom's Progress materialised in the space between them. he hit play and the sequence of vid feeds captured by poor Veetor played themselves out.

His eyes widened, "But those. . ." Udina began, "Those are actual. . "

"Collectors" she smiled, "Yes, got the bastards on camera for once." She could see something resembling a smile creeping into his features.

"Now. . we mustn't get too hasty here. They'll claim forgery, misinforma. . . "

"Hackett's already ran it by his people. He says they're clean. There's also back up stories from the quarians involved. Their names are included in the list in the documents."

He closed the vid feed and brought up the list of potential witnesses.

He grunted. "Hmph, they won't like a testimony from quarians, but this may have undone the damage you caused in getting in here." He shook his hand to emphasize, "But with this we can force a compromise. Finally get some god damn citadel support for our colonies!"

Shepard smiled back. She lifted her drink, "Glad to be of use, "

Udina was about to say something then his omnitool blinked. "Yes, what is it?"

A worried female voice came through from the speaker, "Councillor, I'm sorry but the council want to have a word with you."

"Shit!" Udina swore. "Tell them I'll be right there."

"Yes, sir." the transmission stopped.

"Shit! See what they're like. Nothing happens here that they don't know about." He got up from his seat. "you're coming to explain this, you're part of this too."

Shepard nodded. "Good. I can finally start talking to them about these bloody collector attacks."

Udina grimaced. "Don't push your luck, this isn't a house call to see if we're doing well. They want something. The only other times the council's called to meet me in my embassy, someone got fired."

They left the room and entered the comm suite. Shepard noted the walls were lined with some material. Probably reduce sound and transmissions she thought.

In the centre was the communication platform. Udina stood on it. Anderson arrived.

"Ahh Anderson. Thanks for coming to see this."

Anderson and Shepard nodded to each other. "It's good to see you Anderson," she extended her hand, he shook it firmly, "you get roped in too?" she asked him.

"I'm only here for support, Shepard. I let the politicians get their hands dirty, and it's good to see you too."

"Alright, quiet you two." Udina growled. "The council's ready to meet us." a flashing light on the terminal signaled a holocall on standby.

Udina activated the switch, three images of the citadel council appeared before them. Sparatus, Tevos and Velern, the turian, asari and salarian councillors respectively, materialised before them.

His voice, tone and speed changed completely. Gone was the pessimistic cynical man Shepard had just talked to moments ago. Now she saw the councillor Udina, human ambassador to the citadel. He looked to the other councillors, with a smiling face Shepard had rarely seen before,

"Councillors, to what do I owe the visit."

"Councillor Udina, it's come to our attention that you are harbouring a member of an unknown species in council space. You are asked to explain your actions." Tevos said. Her face stern.

Sparatus beside her practically fumed, "This was an unequivocal breach of rules and protocol!" the turian ambassador exclaimed. He pointed at Udina's chest. "you endanger the lives of everyone on this station by your actions! We demand you hand over the alien to the rightful custody of the citadel security forces."

Velern waved his fellow councillor down, "Please Sparatus," he turned to Udina, " While Sparatus' words are a little. . .blunt. We would request that you hand over the visitor to the proper authorities. Surely you must see the reason for this?"

At this point Shepard could hold herself back no longer. She sat listening to these councillors talk about Glaedara like a piece of meat. She stepped forward.

"Councillors!" she said. They turned to look at her. Udina's eyes stared daggers at her..

"Shepperrrd. . ." he growled under his breath, warning her to stay back. She ignored him.

"Neither the alliance or Udina here is responsible for this. I am." her hands went to her hips, "I found Glaedara stranded on a world in the terminus systems and I rescued her. She's been with me since."

Sparatus looked at her. "You make contact with an unknown species and you don't think to inform the citadel council?" he asked incredulously. "We have first contacts planned for decades before we initiate it. And you .. ." he shook his head. he turned to his fellow councillors, his hand waving in her direction, "This is the human way of doing things. Blunder into the problem with no thought or plan."

She turned on the turian councillor. "Here was no plan because it was completely unexpected. She just appeared, stranded on the planet with no way off. How would the council prepare for that?"

Sparatus scowled. Udina stepped back in.

"What Shepard is . . trying to say, is that now that we are sure of the well being of this newcomer, we can start to open a dialogue with her."

"Only if she wants." Shepard interjected.

"I'm sorry?" Udina asked.

"Only if she wants." Shepard repeated. "I've spent time with her and know that she's a very reclusive, private person. It may hold true of the rest of her species. I won't allow a meeting with her if she doesn't want any part in the council."

The turian looked like he was about to explode, "Now look here. We are being very lenient here. What you've done is a violation of one of the fundamental rules concerning extra-species relations. There will be repercussions of this. How many and how large, is up to you."

"I apologize, but I must agree with my colleague. Any unknown species must be identified and studied by the council. This is citadel law." Tevos said

Udina inter placed himself again between the opposing parties.

"And Shepard is fully aware of the ramifications." he said, as diplomatically as he could manage.

"Is she?" the turian voiced, "Lately we've been getting reports of Shepard working for the Cerberus terrorists. I for one would question the neutrality of one involved in their ranks."

That smug ass! Shepard thought. "Listen! I'm only working for them because no-one else is giving me any help to stop the collectors! Not you, not the citadel not the alliance," she shot a look at Anderson, who lowered his head. "You want me back? You want me to work for you again? Give me what I need!"

The turian grunted, "The collectors are a myth, Shepard. Stories told by mothers to frighten their children into good behavior."

"Show them!" she practically barked at Udina. He started.

"Fellow councillors, what I'm sending to your consoles is a vid-feed taken on one of OUR colonies in the terminus systems. Shepard was able to retrieve it. IT's authenticity has been confirmed by both myself and admiral Hackett."

The councillors were silent for a minute while they reviewed the video. Udina glanced over to Shepard. The pair of them waited anxiously.

Valern was the first to respond. "Hmm. this is. . . enlightening, Udina. Of course we will want our own technicians to verify its authenticity.

"Of course," he replied. Worm, he thought, he's merely playing for time.

"As will mine." Tevos said. She looked back up. "This is powerful evidence of collector involvement. This will be discussed at a later date." A short glance to given to Sparatus to her right, who remained silent. "But this new species is the reason we contacted you. Do I have your agreement in this matter?"

"No!" Shepard exclaimed. "I'll not have the women dragged through an investigation she doesn't want to be a part of!" Shit! she thought too late

"Women?" the turian picked up. "You mean you've contacted more of them?"

She sighed, "There's only the two of them. Glaedara, who came with me and Eleiyra, she's back on the ship." she levelled her gaze at the councillors. "They're their names, by the way, since nobody's asked yet.

She knew what they were going to do before they did it, but she'd no choice, the cat was out of the bag now. She saw the triumphant, malicious grin spread across the turian's face and knew what was coming next.

"Commander Shepard, consider your vessel, the . ." . .he looked down, "SR-2 Normandy. Under citadel quarantine for the presence of unknown lifeforms on board. It is to remain under quarantine until such time the council decides the incumbents do not pose a threat to citadel security."

"I oppose that!" Udina barked at the councillor. "Shepard is investigating the disappearance of colonies! you put at risk all the humans in the terminus systems by keeping her here."

"I Second the proposal," the salarian councillor said.

The salarian looked at Shepard. "I second the proposal. I sympathize with your plight, I do. But these unknowns risk everyone on the citadel. I'm sorry."

Shepard shook her head. The turian councillor was beaming at her.

"We'd like to get this over and done with as soon as possible. We do apologize for the inconvenience, Shepard."

"Apologize to the people who are out there, getting slaughtered," she pointed, emphasizing her point.

"We'd like to set up a dialogue with these newcomers as soon as possible." Tevos continued, "Would it be possible if. . . "

Shepard wasn't listening. She shook her head, turned and just left the chamber, leaving the surprised councillors and their petty, petty games behind her.

* * *

><p>The roof was sloped beneath her.. much like the rest of the place. Smooth angled surfaces, slowly rotating. She looked up and saw clouds floating in the vast ring. The sky was fake, she knew this. But it didn't stop her from looking.<p>

Looking, but not seen.

She was perched on the roof of one of the structures lining the area. Below her was a collection of buildings and plazas that wound their way around a meandering river that curved upward with the curvature of the ring.

The Presidium. That's what the natives called this place. Some great centre of government for their nations. The centre of power and wealth.

She looked at it again, the elegant lines, the rolling landscaped gardens below. Although somewhat amateurish and crude, it still reminded her of the maiden gardens back on the craftworld. She paused in reflection at the memory, she had always meant to return there some time, to gaze once more unto the pool of remembrance and regret.

She lowered her head, now that chance looked slimmer and slimmer with each passing day.

The farseer was working on a plan. She always had a plan. She consoled herself with her conclusion and resumed her watch over the Presidium grounds.

It was highly strange. these aliens, monkeigh, they all tolerated each other's presence here. They walked together, talked together, in her unseen walks through the citadel she even saw them laugh together.

It was so different to what she was used to.

She had heard of the elders talk once. Not Glaedara, she was relatively a junior member of the elders. But those that have since returned to the wraithbone. They talked of the ancient eldar empire, of its heights and triumphs, but also it's diversity.

For eons, the eldar reigned supreme in the galaxy. Physics and time was theirs to command. And command they did. The core worlds grew in splendor and magnificence, and the highest points of advancement were reached. They also told of the countless lesser races that hobbled along in the galaxy under them. Small nations, of races and species the eldar thought had promise and potential. They were left alone, and the eldar watched. They watched them grow, discover, expand, and fight, as children do.

The fall had destroyed all that, and the monkeigh extinguished what was left. She imagined a galaxy of countless tiny twinkling lights, suddenly weakened by the great catastrophe, then snuffed out by the hand of barbaric man.

She frowned. Mankind's most lasting achievement on the galaxy, was death.

She looked at a walkway underneath her position. By rights, she should have been completely obvious, perched on the edge of a 2 story building, but the cloaking technology woven into her cloak made her all but invisible to these people.

Two of the blue aliens, who looked remarkably like eldar, she noted. They walked with a different alien with the bulbous eyes and a human. They seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Here was different though, she thought. The humans here aren't like the imperium. They talk with aliens, they don't worship that weakling seer of an emperor on their blighted homeworld. She'd observed many of them since arriving. They offer greeting to aliens, they share their food with them and even. . . she shook her head, recalling a human and one of the blue ones she'd stumbled across while traversing the rooftops in this area.. . .did. . other things with them.

She didn't know what to think of that. The idea of that with one of the blue ones. . .she shivered. They did have a certain. . . . grace not found in the other races, but still they were brutish and uncouth compared to her and the farseer.

She checked her communications. Still no word from the farseer. She wasn't in trouble, she'd have issued a call for help if that were the case, but wherever the others had taken her was taking a lot of time.

She looked over to her right, to the adjacent building. She judged the distance and vaulted over there. She recovered on the roof. This new perch gave a much clearer view of a landscaped water feature. A decorative fountain in the centre of a wide pool. A wide promenade surrounded the fountain, populated by the inhabitants of this station. Mostly the ones with the mandibled jaws, she noted with curiosity.

Looking at the still water of the pool, she couldn't help herself. She holstered her long rifle and flipped down from the roof. She landed softly on her feet. She checked the immediate area if anyone noticed her, her cloak was still active and she had landed with little noise, but she still made sure.

Satisfied of no unwanted attention she straightened up and paced over to the pool. The inhabitants walked about her, telling stories and laughing to each other. Their voices piped into her ear by the awkwardly fitting translator in her ear. The Shepard woman had insisted to get the 'translator implant' or whatever she called it, but both eldar had adamantly refused. As a compromise, she said they could wear these earpieces that would translate for them. She said it wasn't as good as the real thing, but it'd help them understand the other races.

Eleiyra was getting on just fine, though it fitted oddly, as it wasn't accustomed to her ear structure. However it was better than sticking any monkeigh technology into her. Her mind flicked to the hulking abomination that was the human technician. The thought repulsed her.

Across the promenade she meandered through the passing lines of people and creatures. All of them unaware of her presence. Silently, she drifted among them, a century of training had resulted in her footsteps making no noise on the paved surface.

The pool grew closer, more details in the surface water becoming apparent as she neared it. The ripples, the small waves, the random motion of the currents. She sighed, it was just like the one on the craftworld, it lacked the psychic resonance of the original. Embedded in the wraithbone structure of the craftworld, the original sang with the regrets and memories of those who now resided in its bones.

She reached the pool and looked down. There was no reflection, her cloak was active. The ripples through, the ripples and waves were every bit the same. Her face softened.

She looked around. many of the people had left the plaza, the only others were a couple of the bird like ones on a bench facing away from her. They hadn't moved since she had arrived here.

She could risk it!

She deactivated the cloaking field and pulled off her helmet. The hood dropped down with it. her dark black hair draped over her shoulders. She blinked her eyes at the strange lighting in this place. The helmet had compensated for it until now.

She took a breath, then another.

Somewhat fresh. A surprise, she thought, her own experiences with monkeigh installations was that of chemicals and stale air. Her gaze was drawn back to the pool in front of her. She sat on the side of the pool and looked in. She saw a messy, tired face staring back at her. How long was it since she saw herself?

Her arm reached out and trailed the water's surface, half expecting, half hoping, to hear the ancient whispers of the craftworld's elders again. All her hand did was trail a series of ripples. They spread out far into the still water.

She smiled. She watched the ripples move across the water. For once she. .

Something's wrong!

Her instincts took over, honed to sense trouble, she snapped out of her daydream and brought her head up. She scanned her surroundings.

Over the other edge of the plaza she saw one of the bird ones talk to another of his kind. He was pointing at her. She studied the other one. He wore a heavy suit of blue and grey armour, she'd seen many like him on the station so far.

He was armed.

He nodded to the finger pointing one and began to make his way over to her.

She shot up, she'd lingered too long. The armed bird saw her sudden movement and started running. He was yelling.

She swiftly donned her helmet and drew up her hood. Her hair still flowed out of the back, no need for airseal yet, she thought. She began moving and activated the cloak. She disappeared from all sight. The guard, who'd been closing on her, halted and drew his weapon. He shouted all about him, but by then she was gone. Up a nearby wall and onto another path. She kept moving, gaining height and distance between the guard.

She had to be more careful, she thought.

* * *

><p>In a quiet back room of the alliance embassy, Glaedara sat cross legged on the floor.<p>

It was a small room, but that didn't bother her. It was quiet and without disruptions.

She sat and concentrated. She opened her mind's eye to the warp once again. She felt her spirit detach from her body and lift up and over her. She made a mental probe into the rooms around, to flex her movements.

She looked to her defences. Untouched. This still worried her. With something as strong as the monkeigh trinket there should be a storm of daemons swirling round the source, desperate to get a portion of the power.

Yet nothing. She waited for a minute, her spirit still in the void, waiting for anything, any probe from daemonic eyes.

Still nothing.

Unsatisfied she turned her attention back to the trinket. Her idea of getting distance from it was working. It was definitely weaker than it had been on the ship, some 40 kms away.

Despite the distance she could still feel the waves of psychic energy pouring out from it. Thankfully it no longer acted as a blinding lighthouse to her abilities any more, she felt she could see more beyond the bright light it extruded.

She concentrated. Sifted the light from her vision. It took effort, but nowhere near the amount she had to before.

There! She was through!

The deafening silence engulfed her again. This time, she was ready. She'd anticipated it.

It also wasn't completely silent.

She looked around and saw minute ripples in the surface of the warp, made clear now with the much less blinding light of the trinket. She looked back, towards the light, she felt the warp smooth out the closer she got to the epicentre.

Strange. She thought.

Putting that aside, she looked outwards. Towards the space further from the light.

Cautious for anything untoward she sifted through the waves of power. Looking for anything that may help her. She felt elements of her mindsight come back to her, the ripples carrying precious portions of the paths that lay ahead.

perversely, her mind began to feel at ease in this treacherous place. The scraps of sight that greeted her on the edge of her consciousness felt familiar, something to grasp to.

Yet scraps they were. The pathetic little ripples of the warp not revealing anything more than glimpses of half formed images. She couldn't get anything useful out of them.

Frustrated, she failed to realise the door to her room had opened. Still outside her body, a voice boomed through her mind.

"XENOS?". . .

She startled. She crashed back into her body and drew herself up. Combat pose. She looked round. her room. The door. The inquisitor was standing in it. Weapons? Unarmed. Others? No. Her knees felt like they were going to give. She felt a drop of blood run down over her top lip.

The inquisitor stood still in the doorway, he paused.

"Farseer?" he questioned. A look of confusion crossed his face.

Glaedara relaxed and brought a hand up to her nose. It came back red.

Foolish! she thought. She'd been reckless, hadn't kept a mind on her surroundings. If her body had been destroyed while her spirit was in the warp. . . .

She closed her eyes and tried to flash it from her mind. That was something that didn't bear thinking about.

"Farseer?" the monkeigh repeated to her, "What happened?"

She stood up straight. She'd have to find something for the bleeding.

"Nothing." she replied. She looked round for something to use on her nose.

The monkeigh looked at her for a moment. He guesses, she thought, annoyed more by her humiliation to this human than the droplets forming on her upper lip.

"I came to ask have you had any developments in seeing the warp?" he asked. She wished he would take his eyes away from her nose.

"Not many." she spied a blanket on a table to one side. It would do, she thought and brought it up to stem the bleed. She gestured for him to enter, which he did. The door hissed shut behind him.

"My earlier observations were incomplete." she didn't want to use the word wrong in front of the man. "The warp is not absolutely quiet as I initially thought, rather your trinket is drowning out any minor ebbs or flows. I have sensed faint ripples in the spaces further from the trinket."

The man nodded along, understanding.

"I'm told of a similar phenomenon with the astronomican. Psykers are unable to use their full powers in proximity to the holy choir."

Glaedara pulled the blanket away from her face. It seemed it was slowing down.

"Was that all?" she asked.

"For the time being," he replied and made to leave. The door swung open for him. He paused momentarily. He looked back to the farseer.

"Tilt your head back. I hear it helps." he left with another hiss of the door closing.

* * *

><p>This place didn't sit well with Hayt. None of it did.<p>

As the inquisitor had commanded, he sat, he watched, watched them all.

They were everywhere.

The entire station, infested with xenos! He'd read somewhere there was twenty million of them on this station alone. It turned his stomach just thinking about the number.

He sat in one of the 'embassy's' private rooms. Comfortable chairs were scattered here and there with a low table . A servant had brought out a jug of water and filled his drink. Then the servant had retreated away.

The drink remained untouched.

He looked out the window, to 'outside'. He saw the landscape rise up above either side of him. The embassies and council chambers were stationed in the inner ring of the citadel, the gravity generated by the slowly rotating form.

The door was open, leading out to the outer balcony. Beyond that was a wall and (mercifully) human guards stationed at the entrances to the compound. He was stunned at how the humans of this world were able to work, travel and live alongside these xenos.

He got up and walked over to the doorway, out and onto the balcony. He leaned on the balustrade. What was he to do? This place was a den of heresy. It deserved to be blown from the sky!

And how would you do that? a voice at the back of his head pestered him. The navy with their holy armaments would manage it. But three isolated imperials hadn't a hope in hell.

He saw the central river, meandering up and up through the middle of the ground level. From this distance he could see interwoven pathways and walkways through the landscaped gardens of this place of nobles.

No, he reminded, not nobles. These are xenos. They don't deserve such a term.

He looked back into the embassy. Still no sign of the inquisitor. He'd gone off to talk to the Eldar woman again. He'd been gone a while.

The Shepard woman had disappeared as well. She had said something about the citadel council. Hayt had heard enough here to know that they were the dominant authority in this place. Again, his mind balked at the idea of humans taking orders from an alien government.

He looked once again out over the landscaped grounds. The command from his lord rang through him again.

'Learn what you can, Hayt. To know the alien is to defeat him. See all you can, but be cautious. This is a xenos held station after all.

He decided to make an excursion.

Hayt descended to the base level, approached the guards and displayed his permit. They allowed him to pass. He continued descending the stepped, landscaped levels until he arrived next to the meandering river in the centre. He stood on the bank and looked out over it. The water flowed slowly to his right. He looked up to his right, further 'down' the river. Why did it have a current when it flowed in a circle?

He shook the thought from his head. He continued on the paved path that led around and sometimes over the path of the river. He walked, keeping an eye on his surroundings. Who knows what these xenos might try now that he was alone?

He received strange looks from the people he passed. Many of them were clothed in the same, plain dresses or garments that the people of this station seemed to prefer. He must have stood out like a sore thumb in his carapace armour.

He shrugged. Let the xenos think what they like. They kept their distance from him, and that was fine by him. He carried on. He was currently walking along a promenade raised up from the edge of the river bank. He saw a lower path down below him that ran alongside the river.

Off in the distance he saw a large plaza and what looked like a statue in the centre. As he neared he saw it was one of the large armoured ones that looked like they had a fish mouth. What did they call them, Krogan? The figures around it gave it some scale, at least half a dozen metres tall.

He paused to look at it, typical xenos arrogance, he thought. Another one of the blue aliens passed by him. He felt the creature's stare on his back as she passed. She moved on, and Hayt relaxed. His muscles and mind had tensed as the xeno passed behind him. He didn't trust them, it was heretical to place your trust in aliens and heretics.

He descended to the lower path and walked up to the statue. Cast in some metallic material, he didn't know what, it towered over the plaza. Several other people were there, mostly the blue skinned aliens. He ignored them and looked at it.

He shook his head and walked away, he saw another statue further up the river. He couldn't make it out from this distance, but it was clear it didn't have the same scale as the first. . .

He began to make his way towards it, as he did so. Details began to become clearer.

Is that? No, he thought to himself, surely not! His walk speed increased as he moved nearer and nearer. As more and more details revealed themselves, his speed increased. Soon he was in a full sprint to the statue. The statue that couldn't be there.

Passers by stared at him as he sprinted by them, his armour clanking and clinking furiously as his feet pounded the paved path. He powered down the last ceremonial steps to the statue. He skidded to a halt at the edge of the plaza. It was similar to the last one, a flat empty area bordered by landscaped gardens and water features.

He looked up at it. It can't be. . .

He didn't know what to make of it, what to think. How? . . .he made the sign of the aquila.

Eisenmus! his desperate mind clutched. The inquisitor will know what to do!

His mind, half inactive from confusion, seized this singular thought with envious greed and propelled him back up the steps and back towards the human embassy. he could see it up in the distance, partly up the far curve of the ground.

He messaged the comm system he'd been given, "My lord, this is Hayt. Please respond." he prayed its spirits would forgive his haste.

Seconds ticked by, but thankfully the inquisitor responded,

"What is it Hayt? Are you in trouble?"

Still running, "Hayt replied, "No, my lord, but there's something you need to see. The statue shouldn't be there!"

"What statue?" he asked.

"The statue in the . . the . . ." he forgot what this place was called by the natives. "Outside the embassy, there's a river, with statues. I'm returning to the embassy. Follow me!"

"Hold on! Throne, what are you talking about, Hayt?"

"There's a statue here, in this place, of the Primarch Sanguinius!"

* * *

><p>Eisenmus wasted no time in getting ready. He was outside the embassy as Hayt was nearing it. He saw the sprinting stormtrooper and rushed over to meet him.<p>

"Where?" he hurriedly asked.

"This way!" he pointed, "Past the xenos statue!"

Their journey back was slower than Hayt's return. Eisenmus didn't have the physical stamina to keep up with the stormtrooper. He had to stop several times to give the aging Inquisitor time to catch up.

They arrived at the statue. As they entered the plaza perimeter, Eisenmus stood, mouth agape. He saw what his servant meant.

"Dear Emperor." he breathed, "How on Terra did that get here?!"

"I don't know, lord!" Hayt replied, choosing to answer the otherwise rhetorical question. "I found it here while exploring this river area."

Eisenmus still had his eyes on the statue in front of him. It was the Primarch, no doubt. Though his face was obscured, the angel wings and blood drop motif of the Blood Angels on the ornate astartes armour. There was no room for doubt. He was knelt on one knee, with his head down, grasping a two handed sword which he held in front of him, point touching the ground.

It was exquisite!

He looked round in haste, he locked on a nearby xeno asari. He descended on her.

"You xeno!" he pointed, he was well beyond xenophobia, he needed an answer. "What is this?" he pointed to the statue.

The hapless asari drew back in fright. The inquisitor met her with a piercing stare. He was in no mood for anything else.

"T-That's the Mourning Titan." she stuttered.

"Where's it from?" he barked.

"N-no one knows, it predates even the asari on the citadel. Many think it's prothean. "

Eisenmus wasn't paying attention anymore. He was looking back at the statue.

An imperial primarch, in the capital of a xenos nation. . .

The thought repulsed him.

He needed answers, but to get that, he'd need help.

He keyed in the communication device in his ear, "Commander Shepard? This is Eisenmus. We need your assistance. . . "

* * *

><p>By the time Hakkon was en route, they were starting to draw attention to themselves. He'd sent for the Magos to make use of his equipment, the tech priest was basically a walking lab. He knew that only Hakkon's tools were tough enough to cut imperial adamantium, which Eisenmus suspected the statue was made of. Marble or stone wouldn't have lasted as long as this thing had remained here. He grew with pride that despite the statue being here for emperor knows how long, it was still as crisp and pristine as what it would have been back in the imperium.<p>

There were perhaps a dozen onlookers now, no doubt attracted by the activity around the statue. Shepard had lodged a request to seal off the immediate area around the statue, which he'd been immensely grateful for. It had worked to keep the onlookers back from the plaza. But had resulted in attracting more passers by as came to see what the fuss was about.

Eisenmus wished they'd stop just staring at them. Some of them held out their miniature communication devices and held them in front of their faces. He didn't know what that meant.

Then Hakkon arrived.

There was no disguising him. As a Magos of the Omnissiah, his form was glaringly obvious even from a distance. his bulk towered over the other xenos, only the ones called Krogan seemed to match him in mass.

Looks of horror and morbid curiosity accompanied as he strode through the perimeter. This struck him as odd. Yes, some of what the mechanicus did to themselves was unsavoury, but Hakkon here was a more conservative member when it came to appearance and flesh. He'd told Eisenmus that he _still_ possessed perhaps half a dozen of his original organs.

The crowd parted for the magos as he strode up to the inquisitor. His vision moved up to the statue. His mechadendrites twitched.

"It is indeed true then, lord." he wheezed.

The inquisitor nodded. "It is, Hakkon. I need your instruments to take a sample of the material. If it's adamantium, you're the only one i know of that would cut it."

The magos nodded. "I will carry out your will, lord." He left him and walked out to the statue.

From out of his robe appeared what looked like a miniature plasma cutter. It ignited and began burning away at the foot of the statue. The metal underneath glowed red, then white under the heat. One of his mechadendrites reconfigured itself to include what looked like a drill, and began screeching away at the white hot metal. The noise was tremendous.

The inquisitor watched this for a while, until he heard a voice over the cutting.

"C-Sec's moving in to give us more space!" he looked round. Shepard stood beside him, she was looking at the magos as well.

"Has he found anything yet?"

He shook his head. "No, he's just taking a small sample of the statue's material. If it's adamantium, then there's no question it came from the Imperium."

The screeching took an unusually high pitch, before settling down again.

"Adamantium?" Shepard asked, "Never heard of it."

"It's. . .a material we use for certain things in the imperium." he explained. "The hardest substance we know of."

"So. . you make it into a statue?"

He smiled. "You miss the obvious symbolism present in this particular statue." He looked at her, then the statue. "I mean no offence, you couldn't have known the reason."

He looked up to the helmet, "It's forged in the likeness of a man called Sanguinius. Primarch of the Blood Angels." he saw her blank look.

"It's difficult to explain. The term commander may suffice here for Primarch. While the Blood Angels were an. . ." he tried to be vague, " elite military force in the Imperium. You understand?"

She nodded, this was new. He'd never openly talked about his homeland before, she thought. She glanced at the statue.

Must be bringing back memories, she concluded. The inquisitor continued,

"This man was one of the greatest heroes of the Imperium. His love and loyalty to his father, the Emperor was unbreakable, even in death. I suspect that's the reason for the material. To make the material body as unbreakable as the man's spirit."

"Must have been a real hero, to have a statue commissioned that large." she remarked.

The Inquisitor chuckled. "In all honestly, I suspected the artisan wanted a life size impression."

She grunted, "Now you're just egging me on. No-one's that large!"

Eisenmus hesitated for a minute. Unsure whether he should continue talking. He looked back at the statue. he decided he could reliquish a little more.

He grinned "I'm not joking. All the Primarch's were genetically enhanced to be the best of humanity." he outstretched his arms towards the statue. "You're looking at the one of the finest specimens of humanity ever to exist, Shepard."

Shaking her head, "I don't believe it!"

"What you believe and what is do not care for each other."

"What do the wings represent?" she asked

"They don't." he replied. "Sanguinius was unusual among the Primarchs for having a biological set of angel-white wings."

"Now you're just taking the piss."

The look of utter death she got back from the man contradicted her opinion.

"I'm sorry if I caused offence." she said finally after a minute of silence from the man.

The man glanced over, "It's alright. you couldn't have known."

The screeching stopped. The magos's tools retracted from their work. He left the statue and headed for the inquisitor.

"I can confirm it is adamantium, lord. I am unable to break it. My sensors detect alloys and materials the mechanicus have been unable to replicate for millennia. I date it's forging relatively early in Imperial records, lord."

"You can't break it?" Shepard asked.

The magos' head swivelled on a single axis to view her. "The processes and techniques involved in the forging of the statue's adamantium structure have since been lost. I cannot penetrate the outer layer."

"As unbreakable as his spirit. . ." the inquisitor breathed.

"Lord?"

"Nothing, Hakkon." He paused, stared at the statue. Was this something that fell through time as we did? he thought. Could there be a link?

"Would the other two know anything about this?" Shepard asked.

The eldar! Why hadn't he thought of that before!

. . but giving xenos access to this statue of one of the Emperor's sons. . . he grimaced.

"Maybe. . " he replied. he didn't want to get them involved. he turned back to his magos. "Continue your work. See if you can find anything else."

"Your will be done, lord." he bowed his head and journeyed back to the statue.

The inquisitor looked at the statue. What did it mean that it was here?. . .

* * *

><p>Far removed from what was going on on the citadel, on a planet far removed from civilization, a vessel toiled onwards through the twilight clouds of a gas giant. Hidden from all outside view, the shadow broker continued in his world.<p>

Arrayed before him was a bank of screens, each with statistics and information of various operations around the galaxy. He processed and compiled all the information. He was the master of information and deception int he galaxy.

Suddenly a screen to his right pinged with an alert. From the citadel Presidium, this was strange. He brought it forward to his attention. Off from one of the minor screens onto his main work monitor.

The citadel. The Mourning Titan.. .interesting.

Curiosity piqued him as he watched the vid feed, taken from a hidden camera installed a decade ago at the scene. A strange gaggle of people surrounded the statue.

"Very interesting . . . " he thought as he zoomed in on the figures of a woman in strangely ornate armour and a another of a hulking mass of tools and machinery.


	7. First Contact

_Apologizes for the break in content, work just got in the way. Should be back to normal schedule now._

_Thanks for all the reviews everyone, I do take the time and take them into consideration. If you have any ideas or tips on how the story or my writing could improve, please make them known. I will be sure to see them. I'm in this to get better!_

_But anyway, on with the story._

_EDIT. Have fixed the grammar and spelling mistakes. My condolences to anyone that had to struggle through those blunders I made before._

_ Also, Ursakar and Opsig: those are some damn good points. Have made a minor change to this chapter to keep it more in tune with the ME universe._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seven: First Contact<strong>

After Shepard had left the council chamber, the council had continued with the meeting. The members present were left stunned at the abrupt exit of the woman.

Trying to recover, "I apologize for Shepard's bluntness." Udina stammered. "She's under a lot of pressure at the moment."

"If she is incapable of handling the pressure, Udina, then perhaps we were wrong in making a Spectre out of her." he looked to the other councillors. "But enough distractions. I want to know to what extent the alliance is going to aid the council's law. They've already shown they hold scant regard for the laws the Citadel enacts anyway."

He turned to Udina. "I hope you can reign in your agent, Udina. She's caused enough trouble already, and that was when she was dead."

Udina scowled. "Councillors, no one knew of Shepard's whereabouts before today. I thought you'd be pleased that one of your most successful Spectres wasn't dead as you may have feared."

Sparatus' mouth opened, but Tevos got in first.

"Yes, of course, " she chimed diplomatically "We are all indebted to Shepard, especially after the battle for the Citadel. She saved all our lives."

Udina nodded. "Shall we continue then?"

"Indeed!" Valern nodded. "We still aren't in agreement in the action we should take with the newly designated species, Eldar. Of which, we know of two individuals, both residing in the alliance embassy."

All eyes turned again on Udina.

He brought up his hands in a gesture of innocence. "Once again, you will have to speak to Shepard. No alliance personnel had any part in this."

Valern brought his data pad up. "Interesting, because I have a recording from the meeting you just had with us that the Collector data obtained from your colony on Freedom's Progress was 'verified' by admiral Hackett, an alliance military officer.

His people verified the data that fast? Udina thought "I can offer no comment on that. Councillors, I know as much as you do. I didn't know about this until Shepard showed up with two stragglers to my embassy."

"A likely story." Sparatus spat. He folded his arms, a disdainful expression coursing over his features.

"Hackett is a very senior military officer. Highly respected throughout the alliance, AND Citadel space. It was him that led the alliance forces to save the Citadel. The alliance sustained heavy losses that day to ensure the survival of this council. You distrust the man to whom you owe your lives?"

The council fidgeted. Udina continued, "I will ask Shepard for a full debriefing on the whole affair. Starting from when she encountered the newcomers. It will be with you soon. If there are any discrepancies in the report. They'll be easy to spot."

Tevos nodded at this,

"We look forward to reading it councillor, but the question remains, what are we to do about these newcomers? I would agree with Sparatus here in labelling them a threat to security. Though I . . .disapprove of his blunt efforts to protect the Citadel inhabitants, I ally myself with the principle."

"As do I." Valern replied. "I'm sure the entire citadel will want to know what's going to happen with the latest editions to the galactic community."

Udina fidgeted in his seat.

"Have you talked to them?" she asked.

"No, I came here as soon as I could."

She studied him to see if there was any deception there, she couldn't tell. "That's probably for the best, if we can manage a joint meeting by the entire Council then we can salvage some aspect of this event."

Udina inwardly scowled at this obvious gripe in his direction.

"What is the earliest time we can establish a dialogue?" Valern asked, keen to get back to business.

"Shepard would be the best person to talk to in that regard. The newcomers made her their spokeswoman." Udina replied. "As I understand, they're quite reluctant to be involved in the Citadel . . ."

"I don't care what they want. . ." Sparatus barked. "It's what the Citadel citizens want. " They chose to come onto this station and potentially endanger the lives of everyone on board. I want to know who they are and where they come from."

And no doubt what else is waiting out there. . Udina thought.

Tevos raised her hand to signal that she wanted to speak. She turned to Udina,

"Councillor, can we count on your co-operation in this matter? To show us and the Citadel that you are truly on the side of the Council?"

"Shit!" thought Udina, they want me to prove my innocence by selling Shepard and the alien out.

"I will endeavour to assist the Council in any way i can." he said, thinking. Keep it vague. . .

Tevos seemed to accept this and turned her head back to her dataslate in front of her.

She looked directly at him. "What is your opinion, councillor?" she asked Udina

"I don't understand councillor."

"What is your opinion on the whole affair? Take Shepard's views out of the equation for a moment. Would you, councillor Udina, want to open up talks with these unknown peoples?"

Damn. He thought. They had him trapped. To disagree meant exposing himself as a hypocrite, or worse. To agree meant allying himself with the wishes of the council over humanity.

There was no choice. As much as he hated it.

"My personal view would be to start talks with the unknowns," he admitted. The words leaving a lingering taste in his mouth. He saw the corners of Sparatus' mouth rise.

"That is my personal view councillors, not Shepard's, nor the unknowns in question. If we are to take Shepard out of the equation then that would mean riling not only her but also the party that you want to meet with." he paused.

"If you want to get any further than hello, then yo- we need Shepard on our side. Give her something back,"

Tevos considered this. "What would you propose?"

"Lift the quarantine of her ship and give her back her Spectre status!" Udina stated. Tevos' eyebrow raised. Sparatus shook his head in dismay and Valern's eyes narrowed.

"That's a big request Udina." Tevos replied.

"As big as a new species?" he gambled.

A pause.

"Are you certain this will bring Shepard round to see things?"

Udina guessed not. "It should," he lied. "She feels abandoned by all of us 2 years ago. Only to be, as I understand it, resurrected and from her perspective given the cold shoulder by all of us. It's understandable she's a little on edge."

The councillors considered this.

"Very well. tell her she's reinstated, and the quarantine of the Normandy nullified ONLY on the condition that we be allowed to start a dialogue with these new species."

Udina nodded his head. " I will councillors. I'm assured that she'll see reason."

The holograms blinked out one by one. Udina's practised smile fell from his face, evicted by the more familiar and comfortable scowl.

"Bastards!" he spat under his breath.

"Shepard won't like this." Anderson said from behind him. Udina turned.

"No. She's not the only one."

* * *

><p>The clouds of the Presidium had moved. Drifting on their artificial sky. Below them, among the complexes and landscaped gardens, a crowd of people gathered in one of the open squares. At their centre, a circle of ground almost devoid of people. All of which, centred around a non descript statue.<p>

At the centre of this great eye a large, heavily built man in heavy armour, armour not seen before in the Presidium, paced up and down. His face bore the signs of internal thought.

The man unconsciously scratched his chin. He realised he hadn't shaved since he arrived in this new world.

Chatter. Endless chatter.

It came from all around him. Dozens of voices layered over each other as to make themselves indecipherable. Even now, the crowd was thicker than before. More and more people kept turning up.

He scowled. The majority of them, were xenos.

The screech of the magos' drill rang out throughout the plaza. Some of those in the crowd covered their ears. Or what they would call ears if they actually had them.

Hayt slowly paced up and down next to the inquisitor. His armour clanked and shifted as he stepped to and fro.

"I don't like this, my lord."

The inquisitor lifted his head, his eyes meeting Hayts'. Confusion flashed across his face. It seemed he'd been consumed in thought.

"Neither do I." Leaving Hayt, his eyes darted throughout the crowd. Many of them stared back. Many more stared at the magos working in the shadow of the statue. The hulking magos was bulkier than any of them, Hayt wondered what he looked like to these creatures, most of whom only wore light clothing.

He saw their expressions. Some of them looked almost human. He couldn't be sure, they were xenos after all.

One of the magos' mechadendrites twitched up and over his shoulder. The stormtrooper saw the end tool reconfigure itself into something resembling a needle. With the precision of a surgeon's hand it joined the other tools in their endeavour at the statue. The drilling continued.

Eisenmus noticed Hayt's hand gingerly hovering above his sidearm. His gaze shifting to those around the perimeter.

"Why can't that Shepard woman just send them away?" Hayt cursed.

"She may not have the authority." he offered.

"But she managed to summon these. . .," the stormtrooper waved at the blue armoured xenos separating them from the crowd. His face briefly turned sour, ". . guards from somewhere. Surely she'd be able to order a few civilians back to their homes?"

The inquisitor nodded. "Maybe it's. . ."

"Excuse me! Sir?!" a voice rang out from behind him. He turned. Even behind him the crowd continued, kept at bay by the ring of blue armour around them.

Trying to jostle between two turian guards, was a dark skinned woman. Thankfully, human. Eisenmus thought her odd, somewhat short and clad in a blue dress somewhat similar to those found on some imperial worlds. Like a madwoman, she waved at him trying to get his attention. She almost managed to make it through the two armoured aliens, slipping between them. At the last second one grabbed her left wrist and she was yanked back to the perimeter. She protested in frustration as the guard began to manhandle her back into the crowd.

He felt something. Anger flared within him. The tensions of the previous days built up. He stared in incomprehension at the scene. The true, imperial core briefly rising to the surface. How could this be acceptable? A human, someone more worthy than any other creature on this wretched station, being treated like an animal.

What gave them the right?

"Hey! you two! Get off of her!" He advanced towards them, his temper flaring.

The guards turned to this new interruption. Their faces obscured by their helmets. "Sir?"

"You heard me! Get your claws off of her now!" The woman was squirming in the turian's grip. Trying to get free. His grip on her wrist was solid.

"Sir. This is for your own safety. Please step away."

"No." Eisenmus said and he heard heavy footsteps behind him and realised Hayt had followed him. "you let go of that woman now."

The guards looked at him, then the bodyguard beside him. These type of xenos were usually taller than humans. The stormtrooper behind him drew level with them, his bulky armour underlining his function to these guards.

"I'm sorry sir, can't do that." came the reply.

Eisenmus stared at the xeno. Rage and disgust collecting behind his eyes.

"Alien." he said. "Where am I standing?" He glared at the xeno holding the woman. Each syllable dripping with hidden menace.

It turned to him. It must have picked up on his tone. Good.

"Sir, can I please ask. . "

"I am standing behind you, _guard._" neatly highlighting the alien's position in all this. "I don't judge this woman to be a threat, therefore, remove your talons from her."

The alien switched glances between his quarry and the inquisitor. He made an irritable noise.

"One second." he snarled and handed the woman off to his colleague, she struggled, but it was no use.

The first pulled out a datapad and typed away furiously at it or a moment. Eisenmus' eyes never left him for a second. He presented it to the inquisitor.

"Sign here." he spat, pointing to a dotted orange line near the bottom of the screen. Still full of anger, Eisenmus snatched the pad and stylus from the alien and scrawled his name. It just about fitted in the space. He shoved it back to the alien.

He took it in taloned hands and scrutinised it. He nodded to his colleague, who released the woman.

"She's all yours, human." he said and left to return to the perimeter. The woman, freed from the guard's grip, stood up and turned to the imperials.

"Thank you." she clasped her wrist with her good hand.

"What's your name?" Eisenmus asked.

"Miss Al-Jihani. I work for the ANN."

"ANN?"

She chuckled. "What, you live under a rock or something? Alliance News Network." she smiled, "Can I ask what's going on here? This is a public statue you're hacking into." She looked at Hayt. He towered over her in his carapace armour, his expression blank. "And who are you people. you don't look like Alliance to me."

Eisenmus paused. A media network? This was just the thing he didn't need. He saw with grim realisation that a drone was hovering a short distance behind the woman. It carried what looked like a bulky pict recorder. And pointed in his direction. With his temper falling down to rational levels once again, he realised he may have made a gross mistake.

He pointed at the drone hovering behind her. "What's that?" he asked, hoping his hypothesis may yet be wrong.

She looked, and shrugged. "My camera drone. Better than a crew, helps me get authenticity in my reports."

This wasn't good, he thought, cursing his lapse of judgement. Nothing good could come of highlighting their presence in the public eye.

He already heard from Shepard how these people reacted to the new. She'd described the reaction of her council to the Eldar on the station. 'Enthusiastic' was a word she had used with great sarcastic emphasis. He'd known when he decided to come here that there was a good chance they'd be thrust into the public eye, but the longer they weren't the better.

"Hayt. Get the magos. We're heading back to the embassy, he can continue his efforts later."

The stormtrooper nodded. "Yes, my lord." and strode off back to the statue. The woman watched the man leave, her eyebrows raised.

"You can't be Alliance. I've never seen body armour like that. Are you human?"

Eisenmus was already leaving, "Of course!" he replied, perhaps too quickly.

"Then who are you?" she began to follow him, keeping level with him as he followed the stormtrooper. The damned pict drone was keeping pace just behind them.

He stopped and levelled a stare at her. "I apologize, but I can't answer your questions right now." and walked away again. The woman continued to follow him. He cursed his rash actions!

"I don't accept that!" she protested, sweeping her hand, "Surrounded by Citadel guards, vandalising one of the prized statues in the Presidium. Do you work for the Council?"

"What's going on here?" a new voice asked. Shepard had found them.

The reporter's head swivelled at the new arrival. Her eyes lit up, "Commander Shepard!" she exclaimed. "There were rumours you had returned, how would you respond to those who say you're working with Cerberus?"

Shepard's hands went to her hips. "I'm sorry, we're not answering questions at the moment. Can you please step back behind the security cordon?" she gestured back at the loitering crowd.

"He let me in." she pointed to Eisenmus. Shepard looked at him, puzzlement plain on her features.

"I prevented some xenos guards from accosting her. I did not 'let' her in."

"Well, its time to let you out now." Shepard shouted over to a couple of guards and waved them over. Turian, like the other ones. The first hand to try and move her was swatted away, the second had a much more firmer grip.

"You can't just ignore me! This is a public promenade, I have every right . . ." she squealed, struggling against the guards' grasp. Eisenmus watched with distaste as the xenos handled her away.

Shepard ran a hand through her hair, "What were you thinking letting _a reporter_ in here?"

"I didn't realise she was a news journalist." deciding on the less than true version of events. The truth being he couldn't stand watching those xenos creatures order her about like a dog. He didn't tell her that of course. He didn't want another lecture from Shepard about this place's 'multi-species tolerance'.

The grim irony of watching her being carted off behind the cordon now was not lost upon him.

Hayt and Hakkon joined them. "Ready to leave, my lord." Hayt said.

"Leaving?" Shepard asked.

"We've decided to head back to the embassy. That woman and her pict recorder could draw unwanted attention to us."

Shepard laughed, and swept her arms around her, "As if you haven't done that already. Alright, If you're heading back I'll be able to let these guards know they won't be needed." She looked round. "I'll see what I can do about that camera, if she hasn't ran away with it."

"Thank you." Eisenmus turned to the magos. "Hakkon? Any progress?"

The mechanical arachnid eyes expanded and contracted as they sought to focus.

"Some avenues of speculation, lord. Thermal measures have revealed trace amounts of ozone bonded to the first few layers of the atomic structure. I will like to initiate a proton decay study, though that will require at least 40 hours of continuous contact with the material surface, lord."

A slight pause, his eyes appeared to glow dimmer. Eisenmus had been around the tech priest to interpret this as something similar to disappointment in the magos.

"I have been unable to remove a sample for analysis, lord"

Eisenmus frowned. Without a portable sample to study that was far too long to be lingering around the statue.

"Ozone? That can be a side effect of something warp related."

The deep crimson hood flowed in response to the magos' nod. "Indeed, lord. I can merely speculate at the moment. My cogitators are running diagnostics comparing it to similar cases of ozone infused substances. I will update you when they are completed, lord."

Eisenmus nodded. "Can you delay your proton study? We are attracting a great deal of unwanted attention."

"The nearby xenos lifeforms present an . . unwelcome work environment." For someone who claims to be above emotions, the inquisitor thought he detected more than a trace of disgust in the monotone vox voice. "Postponement of proton study acceptable, lord." The magos' screeching drill wound down to a lower and lower pitch. "Delay will provide good time for analysis."

The inquisitor coughed, "Good to hear. We're leaving now. We may have attracted too much attention already."

The magos made the cogwheel sign of the Omnissiah, his eyes glowing. "As you command, lord."

* * *

><p>Oblivious to the chaos and news circulating the Presidium, the Normandy peacefully slept in its docking bay. Its crew performing their duties as diligently as they always have.<p>

Most of them anyway.

Jacob and Zaeed stood in the hangar. They'd rigged up a shooting gallery at the far end separated from the rest of the space. Zaeed was ahead in points.

"Fuck that!" Jacob exclaimed as Zaeed shot home a trio of shots to the target. "More like that and I'm out of here."

"You gotta ease into the blast marine." He explained. "Don't fight the recoil, anticipate it, make it part of your aim."

"Thanks gramps."

"I'd run rings around you."

"Here, you talked to the trooper right?" Jacob Asked, curious.

"Aye, what about it?"

"I dunno, what's he like."

Zaeed frowned. He's a soldier. Like us. To the point, sharp as an I'd seen. " he looked off into the mid distance for a second. " aye, might invite him down here some point, god knows I need a better opponent.

"Hey frak off." Jacob exclaimed and put another duo of shots into the target. One hit the centre, the other slightly off to the right.

"Ha! Still a ways to go, scrub." Zaeed laughed and took another swig of the bottle he'd requisitioned from the galley.

"Did you see him in the purgatory?"

"Aye, he was tight, efficient. Wouldn't mind doing a job with him, you know, see him. Put through his paces.

"Tell ya, what I would give to take a look at that gun of his. You saw it on the station."

"Aye, punched right through the bastards shields like they weren't even there. That'd be a handy trick to have."

"I've not been able to go near it yet." Jacob Said with a hint of disappointment. Any of their tech they just hand to that walking mech they have. "I've asked them, but they're worse than a krogan with a . . ."

They heard a noise behind them and they saw Jack shuffle towards them.

"I thought I was a loner, and here I find the club of the loners."

"We're pistol training Jack, why don't you join us?"

"As much as I'd like to join your little circlejerk here, I have the only weapon I need right here," she raised her fist towards them and slowly outstretched a biotically glowing middle finger.

"Ha!" Zaeed said, "like a proper fucking princess."

"See, the way I see it, why screw around with pistols when I can punch through fucking walls. She said, her biotics flaring slightly, giving her a glowing blue aura.

"What did you come down here for anyway?" Jacob asked.

"I don't know, just nosing around. I find it fun to imagine how much damage I could cause if I wanted."

"Good to know, " Jacob replied, turning back to the firing range.

Jack's face scrunched at being snubbed, "Whatever. Keep the clubhouse open, I may be back." With that she left the two to their training.

"Heh" Zaeed grunted with a grin, "I like her."

* * *

><p>Jack punched the 'Deck 3' button on the interior of the elevator. The door slid shut. Briefly, very briefly, she was taken back to her cell. Her handlers. Her tests. They flashed before her with the sliding shut of the metal doors, closing and closing<p>

Then gone.

As quickly as they arrived, they left. She let out a long sigh "Fuck!" she exclaimed. The lift gently ascended to the upper deck.

Jack was out of the lift as soon as the doors were wide enough, knocking over Yeoman Kelly Chambers in the process.

Instinct took over "Watch where you're going!" Jack barked.

"Sorry, sorry" A sprawled Kelly stammered. She turned and focused on her assailant. "You're Jack right? Hey, I was wondering if. . ."

Oh god no! Jack groaned. It was _that_ woman. The one that wouldn't shut up. The one with the questions! She'd already asked her twice if she 'wanted to talk'.

"Listen toots," she addressed the recovering yeoman, " I don't want to do a fucking interview alright?"

Kelly stood back up, recovering her datapad. "What? Oh that? No, I was asking if you've seen Eleiyra about anywhere? She's not in her room."

"Who the fuck is Eleiyra?" Jack asked. Someone's parents had had too much naming time on their hands, she thought.

"One of the Eldar." she replied and was met with Jack's best impression of a stone wall.

"They're the new race we picked up on Charles Rock. They've been on this ship longer than you have."

This was news to Jack, "How should I know?" She threw her arms up and began to leave. " I'm hungry. I'm off to get food." leaving the yeoman behind.

Eldar? she thought as she made her way to the galley. Never heard of them. . .

* * *

><p>Once again, Shepard stepped through the entrance to the alliance embassy. The now familiar guards and security points greeted her as she approached.<p>

Emerging from the other end, she saw with concealed dread Udina advancing towards her.

"Shepard." he growled, "I've persuaded the Council to give you a second chance." He fixed her with a stare. "Like it or not Shepard, we need their help if we want to get anywhere."

He seemed genuinely pleased with himself, though how much that was deserved, remained to be seen.

"Much appreciated Udina." She paused, "What's their price?"

The councillor sighed. "They. . want a meeting with the eldar. But that was expected." he brought up a hand. "In exchange, they'll reinstate your Spectre status."

Shepard scoffed. "I should thank them, but I think we both know that it's just another way they can keep an eye on me."

The corners of Udina's mouth dropped. "Maybe so, Shepard, but you haven't left us with many choices here. I'm doing my best to patch the situation. They threatened sanctions, Shepard."

Shepard sighed, rubbed her head. "Maybe I did lose my temper." she conceited. She saw a look of 'I told you so' begin to creep into Udina's features.

"But I'll not be lectured to, Udina. it was my decision and I stick to it!"

Udina's mouth twisted sarcastically, "You make a lot of friends, don't you Shepard?" he reached down and swiped his omni tool. "They want you to meet them in the main council chamber in an hour. . " his brow furrowed. "Shit!"

"What?"

"They've invited the press as well. Now, if we're late by even a second, tomorrow's news reels will be plastered with pages of how the alliance is hogging potential new species."

"I don't care what the press thinks."

"You should. They're the ones that decide what's true and what isn't, not the Council."

She sighed, "Don't worry. I've already pissed off the Council enough today. I'll tell the Eldar"

The brazen relief on Udina's face was staggering. "Good. Yes, good. I'll arrange for our own crews to be there. _And_ I'll let them know who's really responsible for bringing these aliens to the citadel."

* * *

><p>Shepard headed for where she left Glaedara. She walked the halls of the alliance embassy. It looked much like the rest of the citadel save for some spare trappings brought from Earth. A table, a painting, insignia and colour schemes. They all gave this part of the citadel a very human touch. More than once she felt a flash of pride walking past the Alliance flag or some painting from her homeworld.<p>

The eldar were located in one of the guest rooms of the embassy. They couldn't have asked for better. Far from the major through fares and essential services this area of the embassy rarely got any traffic. Counting down the doors in one corridor, she found the one she wanted.

She approached the door. Pressed the buzzer.

"Enter" came a musical voice from within.

The door opened and Shepard crossed the threshold. The room was nice, like all the rooms in the embassy. Made for pompous statesmen and entitled ambassadors it boasted luxuries only found on the Praesidium.

She found Glaedara cross legged on the floor of the living room. The generous luxuries of the room untouched.

"Glaedara?" she asked.

The farseer opened her eyes and looked up. She tilted her head slightly.

"It would be preferable if we didn't have to meet with your government, Shepard. I know that's why you came here."

Shepard was taken aback, "You knew? Who told you?"

"I guessed" She gently folded her hands across her lap. "There's no other reason why you would come and see me now."

Shepard crossed her arms in front of her. "Then you already know what I'm going to say."

The farseer nodded, "Yes, despite our wishes."

Shepard shrugged, "I can't say anything I haven't already. Only that, like it or not, you're part of this galaxy now. You asked to be brought here, so I brought you. It's no wonder the folks here are curious, they haven't seen anything like you before."

Though her face was neutral, her voice still presented its musical performance to Shepard's ears.

"I understand this, Shepard." Her eyes gazed into the mid distance. What was she thinking? Shepard wondered

"Look, Glaedara, these people are my superiors. If they want to see you then they're going to see you eventually. I'm sorry but I did the best I could to keep you out of this."

She nodded, "You have my sincere gratitude."

The two paused in silence for a moment,

"I will also have to contact your friend, they want to see her too."

"That is acceptable." the farseer replied. Still not moving from her sitting position.

After another moment's silence, Shepard nodded. "Good then, they want to see us in an hour. I'll be with you the whole time."

The farseer smiled. "Your concern is appreciated, but unnecessary. I thank you nonetheless."

"Don't mention it. I'll be back soon." Shepard said as she left the room, leaving the farseer to her own devices.

With Shepard's departure, Glaedara remained seated on the ground. This introduction was unwelcome. But until she formulated a plan she was forced to continue with the currents of fate.

She will have to play her role in this.

With silent concentration, she put that thought from her mind and reached out.

"_Eleiyra. Return to me. We're needed here_."

* * *

><p>The Citadel exploded in a flurry of information.<p>

Mere minutes earlier, the council had announced the discovery of a new, intelligent, advanced species. This was a major story. This hadn't happened since humanity decades ago!

A few minutes later, it was in the buoy network. Streaming out to planets thousands, if not tens of thousands, light years away.

First contact was to take place on the Citadel itself! In the great room of galactic governance, the grand Council chamber. Excitement heightened. People speculated.

Every vid screen and news network was covering the story

The first contact itself was to take place in little under a hour. As the time approached, people all across the great station turned their heads to the closest screen. Either on their wrist or on a nearby wall.

Repeated rolls of newsreaders reading out fictitious or irrelevant facts clogged the airwaves. Simply filling time for the council to make their presence known.

And for a pair wanting to remain in obscurity, they were now the centre of the galaxy.

* * *

><p>The great doors to the citadel council chamber hissed open. Shepard professionally led the duo along the path towards the podium where they'd address the Citadel Council.<p>

As they entered, Shepard's head shot up to the ceiling, as it always did. As she looked round she saw next to no damage of Sovereign's attack. She remembered back to the attack. This place had been utterly destroyed in her fight with Saren.

The Council stood ahead of them. Four figures silhouetted against the backdrop of the station. Its infinite flickering lights and starships produced one of the most impressive mosaic effects Shepard had seen. As they approached, the details of the councillors began to become apparent. Udina, who nodded to her imperceptibly. Sparatus, who fixed her with a glare. Valern, whose expression was unreadable and Tevos, who had her eyes glued to Glaedara.

Shepard had spoken a few words to the woman about addressing the council. Mostly, 'don't do what I'd do' but enough to get the message across. Truth be told, Shepard was unsure how this meeting would go, given that they'd already started off on a sour note.

The trio stopped at the end of the walkway. Shepard looked round. This was unusual, she thought, she saw dozens of nobles and other dignitaries standing around the nearest observation galleries to the side. First contact, she realized. They all wanted to be a part of this momentous occasion. She had no doubt of the extensive press and media presence in the room, though the shadows and the harsh lights prevented her from seeing them directly.

At some unseen signal, the muttering and chatter of those surrounding came to an abrupt halt.

"Commander Shepard." Tevos began, her voice as smooth as silk. "I thank you for bringing about this momentous day." she gestured with her hands. "The day where we may welcome a new species into the galactic community." She looked back to the Eldar.

"On behalf of the CitadelCcouncil and the galactic community of races, I welcome you, Eldar, to the Citadel." she lowered her head in respect.

Glaedara remained silent.

The moment dragged on, deathly silence reigned in the hall as everyone held their collective breath.

Shepard hesitated, and whispered to Glaedara. "I think they want you to introduce yourself."

Glaedara looked down at Shepard and nodded her head. A smile Shepard had never seen her wear before swept across her face. Glaedara glided a couple of steps towards the Council, leaving a half stunned Shepard behind her.

The eldar paused. Her head lifted to the council and then to the peoples assembled around the chamber.

With grace from a goddess, she raised her hands and placed them one of the other over the central red jewel that formed the centrepiece of her chestplate. Her head lowered in response to the greeting she received from the asari councillor.

Then. . . she began.

What happened next took the breath of everyone in the room. Shepard was used to the beautiful notes of Glaedara's voice, but hearing her perform for the Council was better than the most moving opera.

And a performance it was. With elegance Shepard thought unreachable, she spoke as though singing. She introduced herself as Farseer Glaedara'il Traellan Ys with a tone that imparted on Shepard the reverence and respect that came with the title, despite not knowing what it meant. She turned and gestured to her companion, whom she introduced to the council as Pathfinder Eleiyrae'vina Ranwyr. The pathfinder nodded in respect to the council when her name was mentioned. But other than that remained silent.

The farseer turned back and spoke of their home. The raw feelings of joy and elation that accompanied the mention her description. A vast starship called Ys Arthar. From nothing else than her tone and physical gestures, Shepard could almost get a sense of the unimaginable scale and elegance that the name imparted.

Shepard could see the councillors themselves were also visibly moved by the act. Tevos looked like she was on the verge of tears. Even Sparatus had a visible smile. Valern was grasping the side of his podium, listening intently to everything the farseer had to say.

She continued, describing with astonishing beauty and passion the refinement of Eldar culture. The dizzying heights of art and music that they'd achieved, as well as their technological prowess.

Her voice wound down, Shepard hadn't noticed it rise at all during her speech, but apparently it had. The vocal music descended in tempo, addressing the council and welcoming Eldar relations with the citadel council and the hope of future friendships between the two peoples.

Almost painfully, she ended her address. The vocal symphony came to an end and the chamber drew a collective sigh of breath.

Slowly the murmuring and reverent whispering returned to the chamber. The council, somewhat taken aback by the verbal masterpiece rallied,

"I. . " Tevos managed, " The Citadel council is delighted to meet such a great people as yours Glaedara'il. We offer what we can to make your stay in Citadel space as comfortable as possible."

The Eldar nodded to the asari, her eyes gratitude incarnate. "The Citadel Council has my most sincere thanks." the vocal symphony returning to the chamber. "And I would like to apologize for delaying this first contact until now. I beg forgiveness from the Council."

"Think nothing of it!" Tevos replied quickly, her eyes locked on the farseer. "I offer an invitation to you and your companion to discuss the future relations of our species further so we can set up a proper contact with each other."

The smile never left Glaedara's face. "As I understand, I will be remaining on the citadel for the next couple of days. During that time I hope to achieve a closer understanding of the races of this great station.

Tevos looked ecstatic.

"Excellent!" the asari councillor said. An unusual rapidity to her voice. "We shall have quarters and premises available for you ready within the hour. Anything you require, it would be our pleasure."

"Your generosity is welcome, but unnecessary." her smile disarmed any notion of slight or hidden offence. " I will be remaining in the alliance embassy. Their quarters are sufficient for the both of us."

Tevos looked heartbroken, "Are you sure, we can give much greater premises than those at the embassy."

Glaedara merely nodded her head in the most graceful fashion, but again Shepard felt the unspoken resolute determination imparted by the action. She had made up her mind. Anyone who saw her response couldn't have doubted that fact.

"I am sure in my decision, honoured councillor." she replied. "The alliance has treated me well and I see no reason to change."

"Of course, the decision is yours." Tevos said, with a micro glance to Udina at her shoulder. Udina had a uncharacteristic grin plastered on his face.

Tevos looked at the assembled room, "Today we welcome a new species into the galactic community. May there be the everlasting peace of friendship between our peoples."

Glaedara bowed to the Council.

Well, Shepard thought behind the eldar. That could have went worse. . .

* * *

><p>Eisenmus stood in front of the door to the farseer's room. The little glowing hololith in front displayed it was currently unlocked.<p>

Should he do this? He had the utmost confidence in Hakkon's abilities. The Eldar needn't get involved. This was a statue of Sanguinius, an Imperial matter!

Even as he tried to convince himself otherwise, he knew the Eldar had abilities he and his team lacked. Abilities that could be useful to them. He didn't trust the Eldar ( Emperor forbid!)

The solid door still lay closed in front of him. The hololith flickered once.

But they had abilities! His mind was telling him. Hakkon had mentioned ozone, a typical by-product of the presence of the warp! Despite his opinions on their species, he knew their capabilities relating to the warp.

His mind flashed back to Agrippus. He laughed at the absurdity.

Indeed, it had been those abilities that had saved them back on that planet!

He looked round the hallway, no-one else. Not surprising. This was a more secluded wing of the embassy.

What choice did he have when the other option was to do nothing? He sighed.

With determination, he extended his hand and activated the hololith. It pinged in response and the door slid open before him.

He crossed the threshold to the farseer's room. He found her sitting on the floor, her eyes closed and her head lowered in meditation.

He stood without saying anything. Just inside the door. Memories of his previous incursion fresh in his mind. He needed her help, and so pleasantries had to be endured.

She appeared aware of his presence. She slowly opened her eyes. She looked at him.

"Inquisitor?" Her voice assertive. She made no move to stand.

"What do you know of the Primarch called Sanguinius?" Eisenmus asked, hoping to get straight to the point.

An eyebrow raised on her faultless face. Sanguinius? she thought? The monkeigh leader? It's not often that an eldar is surprised by the questions of a monkeigh, much less so a farseer. But her sight had been robbed. His aims and motives were hidden to her for now.

"He was on of your leaders when your seer emperor still walked among the living." she replied and took slight satisfaction of the way her disrespect of his supposed god rankled him so.

"Yes, that is mostly true." Eisenmus replied, ignoring her obvious bait. "He was one of the greatest heroes ever to live. Made by the God Emperor himself as one of his heirs. Imbued with superhuman strength, intelligence, wisdom. . ."

"What is the meaning of this question?" Glaedara interjected.

The inquisitor levelled a stare at her for a moment before replying.

"There is a statue of him in this place." His face remained neutral.

"How?" the farseer asked. Her interest piqued.

The inquisitor shook his head. "No idea. But its imperial. Real imperial adamantium. The people here couldn't have made it."

The farseer nodded, accepting the information. "Do you know anything else about it? Where it came from?"

Again, the inquisitor shook his head. "All we know, is that it was made by imperial artisans and at some point in the past it ended up on this station. Other than that. . ." he shrugged.

The farseer remained silent for a moment absorbing this information. She reached a conclusion and looked up at the human.

Before she could speak, he nodded. "Yes, I thought the same thing too. If this thing came from our galaxy, could we find a way back?"

Glaedara nodded. She slowly began to rise. "Take me to it. I might be able to help."

"That's what I came here for." he held up a hand, " but not right now. When we discovered it, we attracted a fair amount of attention. Attention we wish to avoid. We'll wait until it settles then we'll return to conduct a proper investigation."

Glaedara turned to the window. Paths and potential possibilities tumbled in her mind. If this imperial spoke the truth, this changed everything about her path in this world.

She felt the presence of the inquisitor move closer behind her.

"Eldar, this is a potentially critical find. If we can find out where this came from, we could possibly return to our galaxy. Can I count on your help?"

Glaedara turned to the imperial, their eyes locked. The monkeigh was genuinely serious.

"Nothing is of greater importance than finding a way back." she said. "I will offer any help I can."

* * *

><p>The door slid open. Shepard marched into the room beyond.<p>

After the first contact with the Council, she had escorted the Eldar back to the embassy. The trip was uneventful, save for the large numbers of photographers and news people trying to block their way and stretching their journalistic rights to the very limit of her tolerance.

In typical fashion, as soon as she reached the embassy, she received summons from the Council again. Not the eldar however, just her. She thought this odd, but didn't have time to think about it too much before she hopped back in a taxi cab straight back to the Presidium.

From this room, however, she gathered that this was a different sort of meeting.

In contrast to the great Council chamber they held the first contact in, this room was low, small. Practically claustrophobic.

To her right, she saw the council. The four of them sat behind a desk like some pantheon of old. She spotted Udina, sitting on the far left of the group. He nodded slightly to her as she entered.

She walked up in front of the desk so her and saluted.

"Commander Shepard." Tevos began, a smile appearing on her face, "Thank you for coming."

"Councillors." she replied. She glanced at Sparatus on Tevos' right. His arms were tightly folded.

Tevos gestured to Udina. "As part of our deal concluded with Councillor Udina and your . . . cooperation."

Sparatus cleared his throat, drew a stare from Tevos.

". . Cooperation. " she continued. "We have agreed to restore your spectre status."

"Thank you councillors." Shepard replied. Flatly.

Tevos smiled back. Shepard doubted it was genuine.

She looked down at the datapad in front of her.

"Now understand, although we have some concerns about these new individuals residing in the alliance embassy, we accept that this is their wish." she looked back up at her. "We ask however that we be allowed to conduct the proper first contact negotiations. It should only take a few days."

Shepard inwardly groaned. To refuse now, after the council had shown ( in their eyes at least ) considerable compromise, would be the final straw. She knew it.

"That is acceptable." she replied.

The asari continued smiling. "That's good. I'm glad we could come to an agreement." she tapped her dataslate several times. She paused and set it down. She looked at Shepard, her calculating eyes bore into her's.

"Shepard, I know you don't agree with us. But we've only got the citadel interests at heart. I suspect that if the same situation had happened on Earth, the alliance would take similar steps."

Shepard was forced to agree with that. She looked at Udina on the far left. He remained silent.

"I understand, councillors."

Tevos nodded, still smiling. She turned to Sparatus.

The turian looked back at her, their eyes locked for a second, engaged in some nonverbal conflict. Finally, the turian shrugged.

"Yes, your frigate's been released from quarantine." He waved his arm.

Shepard looked at the turian, who looked back. His displeasure at the situation was evident on his face. If nothing else, her minor victory served to annoy him. Which Shepard considered a win by any stretch.

"What will these 'proper negotiations' contain?" Shepard asked. Valern answered,

"It means the actual talks that get under way during situations like this. Today was merely introductions. We really hope to establish an embassy with these people."

Tevos nodded, perhaps too energetically.

"Despite all else," Valern addressed shepard, "we consider this whole incident is behind us now. We hope you'll agree with us on this." His large eyes blinked upwards.

Shepard agreed with that at least. "The sooner this is behind us, the better. Though I'm not keen on having members of my crew kept here."

"They aren't part of your crew." The turian interjected. "They are new, undiscovered species." His hand made chopping gestures on the table, he turned to the others. "A species, I'd like to remind my councillors, whose capabilities we have no idea of."

Thank you for your remarks, Sparatus." Tevos fired a glare to silence him. "They will be considered."

Valern looked back to Shepard. "This concludes our meeting. You may go now Spectre Shepard. And good luck to you."

Shepard saluted. And walked out of the chamber. Finally, she could be rid of this mess.

* * *

><p>Miranda was at a loss at what to say. This was unusual, as before she had just written what came naturally to her in her reports.<p>

Her fingers hovered over the datapad screen. A flickering vertical orange line flicked in and off at the start of a new document.

The illusive man was expecting regular briefings on the situation, she thought that by now she'd have gotten used to the strange things happening aboard the normandy.

But things were getting stranger.

He didn't respond back much, though that was normal. She knew how many tasks he was juggling in the air.

When he did, he responded with interest. Had she gotten a look at their technology yet? Their histories? Where they came from?

Miranda stopped. Truthfully she had no real idea where they came from, the humans or the other pair. Other than something called the Imperium she knew next to nothing about the home nations of these individuals.

She looked back at the datapad. She didn't know much about their technology either. She'd seen it in action on the armour cams but any attempt she made to try and examine it, she'd been met with a stern rebuttal. This angered her, Miranda never took no for an answer. She'd taken it up with Shepard, but the woman was insistent on leaving their tech alone for now. Maybe she had an idea for getting it, but if she didn't they were wasting time.

That tech had to get to Cerberus as soon as possible. Every hour it was kept out of their hands, it was an hour that humanity was weakened. Miranda didn't share some of the illusive man's more radical views about humanity but she saw the benefit in leverage power with the citadel that such a bargaining chip would produce.

Her thoughts returned to the report in front of her. It remained damnably empty.

Maybe a drink would help, she thought. Depressing the switch that turned her tablet into standby mode. The lights of the tablet dimmed and vanished to a black screen.

She got up and left her seat. Fortunately her office was right beside the mess so she didn't have far to walk.

She exited her office. A couple of crew were sitting at one of the tables. They visibly stiffened as they saw her, whatever conversation they were having was cut off.

Let them think whatever they want, she thought. She approached Gardner.

Miss Lawson? He was wiping the counter with a cloth, "what can I get for you?"

"Coffee" Miranda replied. "Make it strong would you?"

Gardner smiled, heh, that kind of day huh? Not to worry, I got just the thing"

A few moments later Miranda was presented with a steaming mug of coffee. She accepted it eagerly. She didn't realise that she didn't say thanks to the chef. Nor did she see the ugly look he directed at her back.

She retreated back to her desk and took a swig of her drink. It burned her mouth but the familiar taste comforted her. She turned on the tablet again. Her fingers returning to their hovering position over the screen.

"Where to begin?"

As her finger barely touched the surface her holoterminal blinked. Foiled again, she turned to read it. It was a message, from one of Cerberus' agents.

It concerned a planet called Korlus.

"Korlus. . ." Miranda was sure she'd seen that name before. She quickly closed the message window and did a quick search through her mission files. The computer ticked over for half a minute before it came up with a list of relevant articles.

She clicked the first.

Korlus! She remembered. The Krogan warlord Okeer. She was right, she had seen it before.

Satisfied with her discovery, she turned back to the message. She read it.

She finished it. This was urgent, Shepard needed to know about this!

"EDI" she said to her empty room. "Patch me through to Shepard now."

* * *

><p>The team had regrouped in one of the briefing rooms in the alliance embassy. It was a far cry from the spartan communications room aboard the Normandy. Like most rooms in the embassy it offered an expansive view of the Presidium landscape. Though separated from the outside by soundproofed toughened glass, fresh air wafted through the air filtration units. Comfortable seats were placed liberally around a wide, oak table, brought directly from Earth. The current occupants only filled half the available seats.<p>

Shepard brought her hand down on the table and looked at the assembled people. Their attention was focused on her.

"I'll get to it, Miranda's uncovered something about one of our next missions." she looked about the table. Somehow she didn't think it coincidence that the eldar and the imperial humans were sitting on opposite sides.

She continued, "A Krogan Warlord named Okeer, is currently being held captive on the planet Korlus. The illusive man thinks that he may be able to provide us with information on the collectors."

"I sense a but. . " Garrus said. He was seated near to Shepard. His hands were clasped over the surface of the table.

"But. ." she continued, "The planet's run by the blue suns mercenary group. They use it as a training ground. At any point thousands of blue suns practice live fire drills and exercises around a complex armed with cruiser class anti orbital weaponry."

Garrus' face sunk. "That's a pretty big but Shepard. I'm used to low survival odds but I prefer something with at least double digits. . ."

Shepard smiled back, "Like I said, Miranda's uncovered something. Two days from now, the majority of the blue suns will pick up and leave the complex. Off to whatever warzone they've been enlisted for. Their replacements were delayed, they won't reach Korlus for five days."

"A narrow window of opportunity." Mordin interjected. "Skeleton crew with accompanying guards most likely. Small infiltration group possible. Greater chances of success."

She pointed at the professor. "Exactly! We have a window to get this Krogan and whatever secrets he has out of there."

Garrus looked round. "You don't seem overly keen, Shepard. What else is there?"

She sighed and nodded in the direction of the eldar sitting further up the table. She'd already informed them, but the rest of her team didn't know yet.

"The deal that the council struck was that they be allowed to stay here for the next few days to get the first negotiations out of the way. If we wait that long, we'll miss the window."

Glaedara nodded. Then, after a pause, "We are willing to remain until you complete your assignment." She could have been passing a comment on the colour of the clouds for all the emotion she showed. Eleiyra remained silent, she seemed content to let Glaedara do the talking for her.

The relief was clear on Shepard's face. "Thanks, but that wasn't my concern. keeping you safe, is."

"We will be perfectly safe," she said, in one of the most reassuring tones that vocal chords could reach.

"Maybe so. But I'm assigning you protection." she looked at Garrus. "Garrus. You're staying with them 'till we get back."

He looked to the Eldar, then to Shepard. He shrugged. "Ahh, suppose I could do with some R and R. Omega loses its charm pretty quick after the first few bullet marks."

"This isn't R and R." she reprimanded. "You're to watch over them and keep them safe. Am I clear, Garrus?"

"Aye Shepard, crystal. Keep the Eldar safe, stay away from the bars."

She nodded. "Good. Mordin, you'll be coming with us. We need you to liaise with this Krogan we're supposed to be finding."

The salarian nodded. "Krogan scientists not common. Very interesting. Eager to see work examples, methodology. Will need to compare notes."

Shepard left him to his internal deliberations and turned to the last people at the table. The Imperials sat further back on the left side. Eisenmus and Hayt sat at the table with the other one standing near the back. They'd been silent throughout the meeting.

"We'll be leaving within the hour." she told them.

"Shepard," Eisenmus replied. His hands clasped themselves. "Might I request that Hakkon and myself be allowed remain on the Citadel?"

Intrigued, Shepard asked, "Can I ask why? No offence, but from what I've seen of you, you aren't too fond of this station."

Eisenmus leaned forward. "The statue we discovered. . . You don't know the significance of it. If there was a way for something of our world to arrive here then it may be possible for us to return by the same means." he looked to the eldar opposite him.

She nodded in silent agreement. "Yes, I. . .agree with the inquisitor. He has already approached me with the aim of unravelling the mysteries of this sculpture. I intend to help him."

Shepard nodded in agreement. "Ok, you can stay." she looked at the both the eldar and imperials gathered. "You all have any help I can offer. You have my word I'll do everything to help you solve this."

She looked at Garrus. "Garrus. You're to keep them safe too."

"Got it, Shepard."

She turned back to the imperials. "What about you Hayt? Eisenmus didn't mention you."

The stormtrooper drew up. "We've discussed this and we think it best that I remain with you. The holy sigil still remains on your ship and we are reluctant to bring it . . .here. With your permission, my lady, I'd like to remain with your crew and ensure its safety."

Shepard's arms went out, "My crew's more than able to keep it safe, but you're welcome to come along anyway."

"Of course, my lady. I meant no disrespect." Hayt's eyes quickly darted to Garrus sitting next to her. They darted back.

"Good. If that's settled, let's move out. Those coming with the Normandy, we leave within the hour."

* * *

><p>The Normandy detached from the citadel. The vast clamps holding it in place disengaged and retracted back into the hangar superstructure. The ship hung weightlessly in the zero G void, before the thrusters kicked into action and the ship glided backwards. Gracefully floating out into the nebula beyond.<p>

Watching from a cafe built into the side of the hangar, a man in a dock worker's void suit took another gulp of his coffee. It was getting cold, but that couldn't be helped.

He watched the arrow shaped ship slip out into the dock, neatly manoeuvring through the heavy incoming traffic. He managed to follow it for a few minutes before it disappeared from sight. Lost among the countless thousands of other little lights buzzing around the citadel.

He put down his cup and activated the comm in his ear.

Three? This is five. It's left the station. Outsider two confirmed on board."

"Acknowledged five." came the reply from three. "Have confirmed presence of Outsiders One, Three, Four and Five in Olympus."

"Acknowledged three. Standby." he cut the comm with three and switched to a different channel.

"One? This is five."

The channel was hazed with static for several seconds.

"This is one. Go ahead five." the voice was artificially scrambled into a grotesque distortion of natural language.

"Confirmed locations of outsider targets one, three, four and five. Outsider Two is with the ghost. Requesting further instructions."

"Continue with observation of confirmed outsiders. Transfer all data you have back to me. Use the terminal at these coordinates." Five looked at his omni tool. There was an alert showing a new file had just arrived in his inbox.

"Acknowledged one. Five out." he deactivated his comm and downed the last of his coffee. He got up and left the cafe, heading for the coordinates he'd just received.

It didn't pay to keep the shadow broker's agents waiting. . .


	8. Korlus

_A quick update for a change! Enjoy. . ._

* * *

><p>The Normandy streamed away from the bright, spinning centre of the universe and made with all possible speed to the Serpent Nebula relay. It's hull sparked with universe ripping energies as it was propelled with frightening speed through the gulf of space, towards their next mission, their next destination.<p>

It exited a relay the twin of the one it entered, in a system tens of thousands of light years from the one it left.

It's thrusters spun the craft laterally, in a move that would have been forbidden in atmospheric flight. Then, the main engines lit up and shot the craft away from the relay, its trajectory taking the nimble ship in-system.

To the planet Korlus.

* * *

><p>A wracked wasteland of starship wrecks and storms. Fought over by jealous gangs of mercenaries consumed in petty vendettas. A hostile sun slowly scouring the planet's atmosphere into the void.<p>

This is where they'd find Okeer, the Krogan Warlord.

The shuttle zoomed through the spaceship wrecks as it made its descent to the blasted surface. A large complex, seemingly formed from an amalgamation of half salvaged starships loomed ahead of them. It pierced the broken sky. An irregular spike against the serrated horizon.

It ominously reminded Hayt of a spacehulk. those evil conglomerations of lost and damned ships. Merged together by the whims and currents in the warp. Hayt could understand spacer's superstition at their appearance and eerie disappearance.

Ghost ships, floating in the void. What foul spirits would this one hold, he thought. He absent mindedly checked his hellgun. As he had done countless times before.

"We drop in 2 minutes people! Make ready!" Shepard said as she made her way along the interior of the shuttle.

Hayt looked around at the others on the mission. There were thankfully few xenos, only the bulbous eyed one joined them. The others, Miranda, Jacob and Shepard were all mercifully human.

He glanced at the bug man. The bug man looked back. It smiled. Hayt fought to maintain his composure in front of the xenos. It would not do for the Emperor's soldier to be found wanting.

He recalled the conversation he had had with the Inquisitor. It reassured him that the Inquisitor was already working on a plan. What that plan was, Hayt didn't know, nor was his place to know. He'd been with Eisenmus for long enough that he trusted the Inquisitor with his life. If this was what we had to endure, then by the Emperor's will he'd endure it.

"Noticed increased breathing Guardsman Hayt. Is turbulence problematic?" the xenos asked him. Throne! It could smell his fear. Get a grip Hayt!

"No. It's fine." he replied flatly. He scanned the xeno for any motive beyond the question. It's overly large eyes bothered him. It was like looking at a mutant.

"Merely expressing concern at wellbeing. First combat assignment with you. Should prove. . .insightful." it smiled.

Was it mocking him? Hayt couldn't discern any hidden meaning behind its smile. Perhaps it was being genuine. Probably not, he corrected himself and went back to checking his gear for the umpteenth time.

The commander stood near the rear of the shuttle. She assessed the team. Shepard had been keeping an eye on Hayt. He was officially on this mission as a test of his combat capabilities, which if his colleagues were anything to go by should be notable. But the real reason for his placement was his reaction with her non human crew. Having mostly stuck to his quarters with occasional trips to the armoury and mess, he hadn't been exposed to the other non human crew members.

Shepard had been shocked initially. Their blatant intolerance and racist attitudes towards non humans was bordering on Cerberus level of extreme, but the other two had been tolerable enough. Eisenmus, she guessed was more of a diplomat than Hayt here and Hakkon. . .well she wasn't she what Hakkon was anymore. How someone could do that to themselves was beyond her.

Remember Shepard, you're basically half cybernetic now as well. A little voice at the back of her head eagerly piped up.

Ha! Shepard thought as she kept an eye on the shuttles descent course. But Hayt here. . .He screamed soldier, ground plodder. Born and raised to obey orders. She needed to find out where his line was. To see if he could carry out the orders of his superior as Eisenmus promised he would. Or would his racist attitudes compromise the team?

Either way, she needed to know now!

"Coming up for landing commander." came a voice from the cockpit. "Get yourselves ready for landing."

"Acknowledged." she replied and unclipped the rifle from her back. "be ready to move out people!" she commanded.

The shuttle slowly came to a rest in a small alcove surrounded by the rusting carcasses of old ships. The dust kicked up from the landing rose in a haze around the craft as the side door opened.

Shepard was the first out, professionally scanning the area for hostiles. After her came the rest, Miranda, Jacob, Mordin and finally Hayt. He disembarked with all the professionalism required of an imperial soldier. He may not be in the Imperium anymore but he was damn sure still its servant.

The team secured the surrounding area. No hostiles were present. Shepard gave the all clear to Goldstein in the shuttle, who powered down the jets. With the jets offline, the wind whipped up the dust cloud about them and pulled it away. It was only then that the true scale of the wrecks around them became apparent.

Shepard could see that Mordin was in danger of getting hopelessly sidetracked. She thought she heard him rattle off ship classification or dates under his breath.

Jacob was more restrained. A true soldier through and through, but still quietly awed at the almost tragic leviathan carcasses around them.

Hayt looked at the wrecks around him. Hakkon would have had a fit to see so much technology discarded in such a wanton careless manner. He chuckled inwardly as he scanned the area.

Satisfied at their landing zone, Shepard gave the order to move out. Their destination, the vast zagged monstrosity in the distance. They had to walk the rest of the way. Scans from orbit had indicated the presence of some very nasty anti-air batteries. Nasty enough to make short work of a shuttle, and put serious dents in the Normandy.

The team advanced through the broken landscape. Rust permeated everything. This is where things came to die. As they approached the lip of a mound of scrap Shepard suddenly called a halt. She saw something down below. She reached for her magnifiers and looked. Blue suns. Probably an observation post, just a couple of mercs. Shouldn't be too much trouble. She signalled for Jacob and Hayt to approach the camp from the left over a path of what looked like oversized transformers. Mordin and Miranda would join her down the centre to distract the mercs while Jacob and Hayt got good firing lines.

"There is only one measure of success, kill or be killed!" blurted a voice over the facility's loudspeaker system.

"Broadcasting orders over a loudspeaker? Charming." Miranda said

"Stay focused Lawson! Keep the chatter to a minimum."

* * *

><p>The two teams made their silent, respective ways over the terrain. Down at the 'observation post' the occupants had no clue that there were enemies within shooting distance.<p>

There were four of them. Clustered around a pile of scattered equipment and barricades.

"This is shit." one of them said to the rest. "I swear the next time I hear Jedore on the loudspeaker. . "

"What'll you do?" another asked. "I'd like to know, Sal, cause if its anything like your Groundstation stunt . ."

"Hah fucking hah." the first one said. "You know I had Ferrick at the table. Lucky bastard is all he was. Last fucking card he pulls. ."

"Yeah yeah, just giving you shit. I hear you on the loudspeaker. I mean, if she thinks anyone takes her seriously, she's more insane than she sounds."

"I'm just waiting it out till I can get a transfer." the third one joined in. "I am sick of looking at broken metal all day, every motherfucking day."

"Uh huh, Aren't even enough women on this waste ball to make make it worth it."

"Aye. Speaking of, what on between you and Tanya?" the second asked the third.

"I got out. I swear to god that woman would not shut up."

"Here, I heard. . ." the merc's train of thought was interrupted by a shot from Hayt's hellgun. The las beam impacted on the back of his head, penetrating the light armour easily. Within the confines of insulated helmet, the temperature rose within miliseconds to something resembling liquid lead, instantly cooking the man's head within his own helmet. Outwardly, the man just slumped over, a trail of smoke issuing from the back of his helmet.

"Jesus Christ!" yelled another, diving for his weapon. A hail of rounds came from somewhere and peppered the man. Thankfully for him his barriers absorbed most of the damage, but not all. He felt his leg and torso get impacted with a series of impacts. He never reached his weapon. He fell onto the metal decking, clutching at his torso.

The other two weren't so lucky. Bewildered by the violent death of their colleague, they faltered. Only seconds, but it was enough to seal their fate. A fusillade of shots from Jacob and Mordin felled them where they sat. Their bodies tumbled backwards like ragdolls before lying still on the floor.

From cover Shepard observed the position. All hostiles had been eliminated, save the wounded one on the ground. She motioned for the rest of her team to follow her as she cautiously approached the man on the ground. She kept her rifle levelled at him all the way. He saw her approach and tried feebly to crawl away.

As Shepard approached she heard his voice, "Shit shit! It won't stop bleeding. . .. I'm gonna. . .son of a bitch!"

Jacob and Hayt descended from their vantage point and joined Shepard's team next to the merc. He had crawled himself into a corner.

"He doesn't look that bad." Miranda said, examining his wounds.

"He doesn't need to know that." Shepard replied and approached the prone merc.

"I knew it wasn't berserkers. Not at range. You're mercs. Or alliance. I'm not. . .I'm not telling you anything." the man grimaced and Shepard saw his hold of his torso tightened.

She flipped a few settings on her omni-tool. He had endured the stick, maybe time to try the carrot, "I got a nice application of medi gel ready to go. But if you'd rather I'd just keep walking. . ."

The man's eyes focused on her omnitool, lingered there for a long time before he looked back to Sheaprd, "Son of a. . .I just, I don't know anything. I just shoot the overflow from the labs. The old krogan up there, he's really been cleaning house lately." he grunted in pain, "Jedore hired him to make her an army, but the krogan he creates are insane, so we use them for live ammo training. Its all crap. I don't get paid enough to bleed out."

The merc's radio came alive, "Outpost four? Jedore wants us to move. We need coordinates on that Krogan pack."

Shepard leaned in and grabbed the merc by the collar. "I want your friends gone. Understand?" She stared him down, he hesitated. . .

Then relented. "Uhh patrol? the last group. . . dispersed. Lost sight five minutes ago."

The radio cackled again, "Dispersed? Jedore will be pissed, she wanted a show."

The merc was still looking in fear at Shepard, "You asked for a report, I said it , dispersed."

"Understood, returning to the labs."

He switched off his radio. "See? I'm helping"

She loosened her grip on him slightly, he needed to know he did good but he was still in a world of hurt. "Have you seen Okeer? Does he know about this?"

"We can't go in the labs, but everyone sees what happens when the krogan come out. I've shot hundreds. They're crazy. Mindless. Anyone up there, they know what's going on"

"Is Jedore's lab heavily guarded?" Miranda asked

"They're big guns to keep ships away. We're not outfitted to fight goddamn commandos!"

Shepard didn't need to hear anymore. She injected a shot of medi-gel into the merc. A measure of calmness came over his face as the wonderful substance repaired his damage.

"I honestly didn't think you'd give me that."

"Yeah, well don't thank me yet, best find someplace quiet before you bleed out."

She let go of him and he slumped back to the ground. "Aww shit! Shit shit!"

Shepard turned away from him. "Come on, our warlord is in Jedore's lab."

They left the wounded merc lying there, having put a few rounds into the man's rifle, lying a couple of feet away.

The loudspeaker blared again. "Training is part of your contract. Failure to perform means liquidation. Legal or otherwise."

"My god. Its just getting embarrassing now." Jacob said as they approached a likely entry point.

The closer they approached the clearer the ramshackle nature of the facility became. Hulls from a dozen different starships were welded together to make a single wall. The area was littered with scrap metal and tools, left to rust in the harsh wind. The team advanced down a canyon, flanked by metal walls on both sides. Only a sliver of the broken sky was visible above them. A corner in the canyon appeared ahead. Shepard called for the team to halt while she investigated.

Slowly and quietly she edged her way up to the corner and poked her head round. Another band of mercs. This group was more organised than the first they encountered. They patrolled across Shepard vision, from the left to the right, down another lane in this labyrinth of a structure. Shepard needed down the left corridor. She thought it best if they just wait it out. She ordered the team to hide behind what cover they could find.

The patrol passed down the right lane. Shepard signalled the team to move up. They speedily took up positions down the lane, covering each other and remaining focussed on the ledges and walls above. Constantly they checked for sniper nests. This place seemed like heaven for sharpshooters.

As they came to the junction, Shepard made sure the other team had disappeared fully before giving the go ahead. From there, they made their way down deeper into the structure. Wind swept dust was replaced by ancient starship decking.

Despite everything Hayt felt comfortable here. He was no stranger to urban warfare, his original regiment being specialists in close quarter urban combat. To be off a starship and on a planet, going through the old routines of checking for nests, inspecting rubble piles and watching where you put your feet. It felt good to Hayt. Even the planet had a similar climate to many imperial worlds, their ecosystems choked to death by industry and human volume.

They entered a wide enclosure, probably a ship's cargo hold or storage bay in some earlier life. The roof had collapsed leaving the tip open to the sky. Shadows of titanic wrecks hung over the ground where the scrap towered over them. The bay was lined with gantries and walkways, clinging to the walls surrounding them. They spied an entrance on the other side. Their directions pointed that way.

Which they would have went, had a patrol of mercs not appeared on an upper gantry at that point.

The team was halfway across the bay, they possessed no chance of remaining undetected. The patrol saw them as soon as they came into view.

Both parties immediately dived for cover. Thankfully Shepard's team was not wanting for cover. The detritus of the collapsed roof provided it amply.

The mercenaries on the gantry began firing at Shepard's team. Their shots scattered off the large metal sections of cover.

"Hmm Problematic." Mordin said. He crouched behind a massive steel support. It was bent horribly.

Shepard managed to get off a couple of shots at the mercs' position, more to get an idea of where they were than to do actual damage.

"Dammit!" Thought Shepard. The mercs had surely got a message off to command. No time for subtlety now, thought Shepard as she loosed off a couple more shots in the gantry's direction. They had to take the initiative. If they idled here, the mercs would see sense and try to flank them along the walkways above.

"Mordin, Miranda. Provide cover fire. Jacob and Hayt. Follow me." she directed into the comm and immediately started sprinting. The mercs up on the gantry saw her take off and turned to get a bead. They immediately ducked under a withering hail of fire from the professor and Miranda. Shepard saw one fall, weren't quick enough mate, she thought.

She slammed into another piece of wreckage, this one near to an access ladder that lead to the upper levels. Her new idea was replied with by a series of impacts near to the ladder. Clearly they realised the same thing she did.

"Crap! Jacob, on my mark, overload the bastards while we make a run for the upper level."

"Aye commander." he replied

"Prof, Miranda cover fire again now!" gunfire in the near distance was her response.

"Now Jacob!" she commanded and sprinted for the ladder. She glimpsed Jacob starting to glow with a inner blue radiance as the dark energy around his body reached critical levels. He extended one of his hands and the mercs' position was engulfed in a roiling mass of dark energy. Probably wouldn't stun them for long, but long enough.

Shepard clambered up the ladder. She reached the top and dived behind a rusting crate. She looked at the enemy. She heard a metal impact next to her and looked. Hayt was crouching next to her.

"You make it up too?" she asked. She'd taken only seconds going up that ladder, he might be as fast as she was.

"Apparently." he replied and looked out. He hurriedly snapped off a shot. It narrowly missed a far merc standing behind a thick metal support. The merc retreated back, unwilling to risk another foray into the open. The metal support climbed back down through the visible colour range as it cooled from the impact.

He scanned the field. The mercs had had time to consolidate their position on the higher ground. They were well positioned. They had to act fast. The team on the ground were getting into trouble. Miranda took a couple of hits on her barriers before making it back to cover.

Hayt began running. These mercs were in a good defensive position. But vulnerable. They formed a rough line facing Shepard's party, the ones on the edges blocking any lateral fire by their fellows. He needed to exploit this. His feet pumped as he moved closer. He needed to get around the gantry corner. If he could do that, they'd be engaged from the flank and unable to bring their full weight of fire to bear.

Back behind the crate, Shepard saw Hayt go tanking off, she was about to ask what he was doing but after looking at the enemy position she figured out his plan.

"Hayt, I can lay down cover on the one nearest you, allowing you to close the rest of the way."

"Acknowledged Shepard. Tell me when to run." she could see him peeking over another storage crate further along the gantry. She leaned out and fired.

"Now!" she said as fire from her weapon peppered the enemy merc's position. The merc ducked down.

Hayt started off forward as fast as he could. The merc was behind cover, enduring the fire that was raining his position. Seeing the merc's position, he was not ready for anything approaching him. After seeing how little this world used close combat weaponry, Hayt wasn't surprised. He saw the merc take advantage of his momentary break to reload. Under normal circumstances, it was a good move to make. Hayt knew of countless men who had fallen just due to the fact they ran out of ammo at the wrong moment.

Good move under normal circumstances, terrible one under these. Sensing a precious two, maybe three seconds Hayt dropped his weapon, letting the strap swing the weapon around to his back and reached down for his sabre. In a fluid motion he pulled it and activated it. A cold blue electric glow swam over it as hidden and unknown mechanisms did their work.

Only a couple of steps away. The noise of the fusilade masking his charge. Another mercenary to the other side of his target spotted him and yelled. He couldn't do anything, his friend was blocking any line of fire.

He reached his target.

He beheaded the mercenary in a swipe and tackled the body. Half running, half falling past the severed head as it fell through the air. The headless corpse crashed into the merc behind, throwing him to the floor. Hayt was already past him, towards the further one who was rising. Hayt reached him first and stabbed him through the chest. He clutched the merc's weapon with his other hand and using his body as a shield shot the merc furthest away with the rifle. His target took several hits from the flimsy weapon. His shields or whatever taking the first few before they finally broke through. He fell to the deck.

The last merc had just managed to get his colleague off him. His head was gone! His fucking head was gone. As he turned, something kicked him very hard and sent him back down. His head reeled from the vibrations. he fumbled for a weapon, but found none. he looked up and saw a human standing over him. His armour was weird and bulky over a dark green uniform. He carried a sword. A fucking sword!

'Wha? Please. .. don' urghg' Hayt stabbed downwards unceremoniously into the merc's chest. Armour, flesh and metal decking gave way to the atom parting mechanisms of his sabre. Hayt stood and deactivated his sword. he wiped it on the edge of his jacket and placed it back in his scabbard.

"All hostiles eliminated." he said into the comm.

The ground emerged from their cover behind the wreckage.

"That was some stunt, Hayt" Jacob said.

"Slightly reckless if you ask me." said Miranda. "This galaxy passed its medieval stage a thousand years ago."

Hay looked at the dead mercs"'I'm sure they feel very comforted by that" he said, and made his way back round to Shepard.

"She has a point. You were lucky Hayt."

Hayt was perplexed. It was a standard combat doctrine. If your enemy was weak in close quarters, close the distance at all costs. These people should especially know this. Their personal shields would make those last few seconds of a charge much more bearable

He shrugged. "Maybe, but where I come from, sword skill is often as important as firing skill."

The team regrouped at the bottom and made their way out of the bay. They continued through the wreckage, making progress towards the facility. They were now in the shadow of it. Several more teams of mercs were encountered along the way but they were dispatched quickly. Soon their progress was starting to gather attention.

The team heard gunfire up ahead. The loudspeaker blared again, "We have guests in the compound. If they're not killed immediately, all bonuses will be denied!"

Ha! What kind of woman were they dealing with?

The gunfire increased. It was just around the next corner. The team encountered a group of mercs. They were concerned with something else towards something else further away. They were vulnerable! They could hear the mercs shouting and yelling, as well as the gunfire they poured into this unknown adversary.

Shepard directed the team to take up firing positions. The merc's gunfire effectively masking their approach. She made out a group of five, armed with light assault rifles. Firing downward into a lower level.

She ordered the team to fire.

The men stood no chance. Merciless gunfire cut them down to a man. One was thrown so hard forward he slammed into the guardrail and toppled over. She heard a dull thump slightly after. As they approached the raised platform they looked below. To their surprise, they saw a krogan standing over the body of the poor sod that toppled over. He looked up at them, but strangely made no attempt to raise his weapon towards them.

"Is that one of the Krogan?" Miranda asked

"Well, let's find out." Shepard replied and began to make her way down to the krogan.

As she neared it, it approached her. It began to get very close to her. She stood her ground, not wanting to make any sudden moves.

The krogan stopped a foot away from her. It still wore its armour, Shepard couldn't see anything of its face as it stared at her. Its faceplate had deep etching it, almost like something had tried to burn its way through. It looked at her and then and at the rest of her team. It grunted, or Shepard thought it grunted, then backed off. It spoke, with a voice like gravel, "You, are different. New, you don't smell like this world. Seven night cycles and i felt only the need to kill. But you, something make me speak."

"He's only a week old?" Miranda said. Sounding skeptical. Though even Shepard had to admit, he was quite big for a toddler.

"They must breed them full size, ready to kill. Not much improvement over regular mercs if they need training." She looked at the broken body of the dead merc behind them.

The krogan responded to her. A hand raised to its head. "Bred. . .to kill. No. I kill because my blood and bone tell me to. But that's not why i was flushed from glass mother. Survival is what I hear in my head. Against the enemy that threatens all my kind. But I failed even before waking."

Shepard's interest piqued.

"That is what the voice in the water said," it continued, "That is why I am here."

Eager for more information, Shepard pressed the Krogan's memory, "You're supposed to be part of a mercenary army, do you remember Jedore?'

"I know that name. It causes anger. But also laughter. It is not a name that will be sung when we march. I don't know what that means. But I've heard it many times"

"Can you show me the lab? I need to speak with Okeer."

"The. . .glass mother. She is up. Past the broken parts. Behind many of you fleshy things. I will show you."

The krogan turned around and walked towards a blocked off passageway. A large section of plate metal was set across it, probably from the roof that had fallen into disrepair centuries ago. The krogan grabbed it and braced. With a massive grunt he lifted it and tossed it to one side. It made the sound of thunder as it hit the ground, Shepard felt the vibrations through the decking as it landed. Suddenly Shepard could understand Jedore's desire for an army of these beasts.

"Impressive… and dangerous." Miranda said

"You fleshy things are slow when big things are in your way." it turned back to the group

"You could have run or tried to fight your way back to the labs. Why stay here?" Shepard asked, it clearly didn't lack the muscle power.

"I am waiting. The voice told me. If they come, I fight. But I will not run, and I will not follow. I am not perfect but I have purpose. I must wait until called, released."

The krogan made its way back to where they found it. It picked its weapon back up and started heading back up to the raised platform.

"Where's it going?" Hayt asked. He didn't trust it.

Shepard shrugged. "Who knows? I dont think it was bred to do much. Come on let's find Okeer."

They set out, the passage the Krogan had opened for them brought them into the heart of the facility. The sky overhead disappeared in a maze of broken hulls and cross crossing stair and walkways.

They began to climb.

* * *

><p>Far above the ground, they crossed a platform far above a pit, it looked like an old engine room. the rotting heart of a once great ship. The platform contained what looked like many of the ship's systems spread out over several layers of platforms and consoles. Hakkon would have loved it here, Hayt thought. Even xenos tech had to be studied, if only to find out what they were up against.<p>

"Contact!" Mordin yelled and the team took cover. At the other end of the room a squad of fully grown Krogan emerged. Kitted out in dark blood red armour they spotted the team. They fired with their weapons. Thankfully shotguns, that did minimal damage at this range. Hayt peered over the cover, he could hear their guttural yells and shouts. It was nothing compared to a proper ork waaagh but it was disconcerting nonetheless.

He shot one in the faceplate. It went down, the deck thudded as its large mass impacted the metal. Its comrades saw the flash of the hellgun, they redoubled their barrage.

Hayt saw the others, Jacob and Mordin firing from crouched positions into the beasts ahead. The Krogan advanced through the fire. Their shields taking the brunt of the fire.

Hayt heard a deep shout from the enemy

"Krogan charging!" Miranda yelled through the com. Hayt saw a krogan run at full speed towards the professor and Jacob. Their cover was in the open. If they moved they'd be cut down by ranged fire.

He made a call.

He left his cover, drawing his sabre as he did so. Making towards towards the charging Krogan.

"Hayt! What are you.. ." Shepard began but Hayt paid her no attention. He saw the Krogan notice his challenge. Good! His gambit worked. It's direction turned, it headed towards him. A beast with the mass of an ork, bearing down on him in full plate.

"For the Emperor!" Hayt yelled instinctively. As the two combatants collided. The Krogan swung downwards. Hayt dodged. He regained his feet as the Krogan came round again. More ready this time, he stepped backwards and brought his sword in an uppercut. Neatly severing the krogan's arm at the elbow. The hideous three digit xeno arm went flying through the air. The Krogan paused, stupefied at the sudden disappearance of his arm. Hayt gave no quarter and stabbed the beast straight through the face plate, where he guessed the xeno's brain lay underneath all that armour. The Krogan fell limp and fell to the floor. Hayt stood over the body, victorious.

This was the moment, Hayt realised. He was exposed, devoid of cover. If he moved, he was dead. The krogan had stopped shooting to watch the duel. Their guns still remained silent. As did Shepard's. Hayt prayed that Shepard didn't do something stupid. He prayed that these beasts had the same mentality as orks. He prayed that he didn't just make a terrible miscalculation.

He pointed his sword at the Krogan, and summoning the Emperor's wrath itself he issued a challenge at the top of his lungs.

"IS THIS ALL YOU HAVE, MAGGOTS?"

The moment dragged. Then a bellowing warcry issued from the other end of the room. The remaining Krogan, overcome by rage abandoned their positions and charged Hayt. Hayt, relieved that his gamble had paid off, ran towards the group, yelling a wordless scream.

From cover Shepard had seen the whole thing. Did that man have a death wish? She saw the Krogan close in on the man, four sprinting, roaring walls of meat, wanting to tear him limb from limb.

"Shit!" she cursed "Team open fire! Give the man some cover!" as one her team opened fire. Shots blew into the charging krogan, but their blood and adrenaline was up. Short of taking out their knees, they weren't going to slow down anytime.

Hayt crashed into the Krogan, or more correctly they crashed into him. Just before they closed, he disembowelled the first attacker, it doubled over and Hayt sliced it in the back. As it fell the second was upon him. A powerful swing almost caught Hayt in the chest. He leaped back, consolidating his position.

The Krogan jumped forward, but Hayt anticipated the aggression and thrust with all his weight. The blade embedded itself in the beast's chest. The Krogan stalled, its momentum robbed. Hayt's sword came free by a slice to the left, removing most of the krogans abdomen to the outside.

The third and fourth came at him. He ducked as one reached for him. The other however managed to tackle him to the floor. It pounded his chest. The air was expelled from his lungs from the impact. He gasped for air and stabbed upwards, he caught the Krogan's thigh and sent it sprawling. He rose and dodged the other one and stabbed. It's mass too heavy and its weight too cumbersome to dodge in time. The beast fell on the sabre. It groaned and tried to reach Hayt. He gave it no chance as he pulled his weapon out and hacked at its head. The groaning came to an abrupt halt as the krogan slumped to the ground.

Hayt stood in the carnage that he had inflicted. The last kogan was crawling along the floor murmuring something Hayt couldn't understand. He didn't care, he brought his blade down on the beast's back. The beast flinched, then lay still.

The team regrouped. Mordin's eyes were those of an excited child on Emperor Day.

"Efficient bladesmanship. Deep understanding of Krogan tribal mentality. Must ask, your training?"

Hayt shrugged, "All guardsmen go through close quarters bayonet or swordsmanship training. The officers of the guard in particular pride themselves on their bladework."

"But why?" Miranda asked, confusion evident on her face, "When you have weapons like that!" she pointed to Hayt's lasgun, strapped across his back.

Hayt pointed to the dead Krogan. "Not all xenos are as happy to stay at range as you are. He pointed at the krogan corpses. Imagine them, but thousands and thousands of them with claws a foot long running at you. No gun the galaxy is going to save you from that. You need close combat weapons for when the fighting gets grim."

Shepard looked at the disassembled corpses of the Krogan. "You may not want to use it too much in citadel space. Your handiwork may draw undue attention."

Hayt nodded, understanding "I'll keep it sheathed on _civilized_ planets." He pronounced the word with some strain. He cleaned it and placed it back in the scabbard.

"You get results, I'll give you that." said Jacob. "Thanks by the way, not sure what we've have done if that Krogan charged us."

"No worries." Hayt replied. and readied his lasgun again.

The team set out once more, climbing higher and higher through the structure. They encountered more groups of Krogan and mercenaries. Their frequency increasing the higher they got.

No more heroics like the first engagement, however. Shepard was watching Hayt closely, she didn't want any more antics like the first engagement. Thankfully, the guardsman stayed in formation and mercifully, at range.

The higher they climbed the more lived in the rooms looked. There was mess that only came with occupation. Storage, boxes, bunks and desks became commonplace. Even the structure looked more stable and fit for use. They could no longer hear the racing wind and the blasted sand and dust didn't get in here.

They soon approached the heart of the facility. The beds and rec facilities became less common and was replaced with research equipment. Mordin was growing more and more excited as the team advanced.

"Hmm interesting." he said. He approached a nearby machine. Shepard couldn't tell the difference between any of them. "Ru-6xxv Biological scanner. Haven't seen one since STG. Valuable. Rare.. ." he breathed in. ". .curious."

"What does that mean prof?" Shepard asked,

"Possibly nothing. Possibly great deal. Large expense was made to acquire this. Whatever's here, important. Very important."

She didn't know what this meant for the mission so she put it to the back of her mind for now. Someone very rich went to great expense to keep this place kitted out. In the middle of nowhere, on a goddamned death world no less.

They came across another team of mercs and cut them down in short order. They approached a heavily reinforced door. To Shepard's immense surprise, it was open. Inside, they found who they were looking for.

As the door opened a Krogan turned to the entrance. He had been working at a computer terminal. This room was clearly his workstation. Monitors lined the walls and computer units lined the sides and centre. What dominated the room however, was a large tank storing a clear liquid. Suspended in the solution was a Krogan, fully grown and armoured. The Krogan hovered there, unconscious and unaware of his surroundings.

Okeer spied them and marched over. "Its about time!" he pointed at shepard. "The batteries on these tanks will not wait while you play with these idiotic mercs."

"I take it you're Okeer. you don't seem particularly caged… or grateful that I'm here." Shepard replied angrily , she didn't like being talked down to, especially by the person she was meant to rescue.

"You may claim to be here to help, but the formerly deceased Shepard is not a sign of gentle change." he grinned. "Surprised? all Krogan should know you. Or have you forgotten what you did on Virmire?"

"I didn't have an awful lot of room for finesse. If there was any other way I'd have considered it."

He held his hands up, "But i approve. Saren's pale horde were not true krogan. Numbers alone are nothing. The mistake of an outsider, one that these mercenaries have also made. I gave them my rejects for her army, but she grows inpatient. It's time for you to take me out of here."

"We're here about the collectors. We couldn't care less about your problems."

The loudspeaker interrupted them, "Attention! I have traced the krogan release. Okeer of course!"

Outside the view port, Shepard could see Jedore stride up and down the main hangar like a prowling wolf. Determined to get a handle on the situation.

"I'm calling blank slate on this project. Gas these commandos and start over from Okeer's data. Flush the tanks!"

Okeer looked out of the viewport and clenched a fist,

"She's that weak willed? She'll kill my legacy with a damned valve. Shepard! You want information on the collectors? Stop her! She'll try to access contaminants in the storage bay."

"You could just start over, like she plans to. What's the big deal?"

"This tank is pure. It involved as much trial as data. Starting over will not duplicate it. It must survive. Jedore will be with the rejected tanks. Kill her, I will stay and protect the tank." He clasped the control console. Shepard tossed him a pistol and turned.

"Hayt, stay with him. If he does anything treacherous, use the sword."

Okeer looked at Hayt properly for the first time. "You are different than them." he sniffed. "More jagged, harder."

"Do your work xeno, or i will cut you down."

The krogan beamed "Ha! I feel the weight behind those words. Such ruthlessness, from a human as well. Interesting. . . "

Okeer returned to the console and began to key in commands.

"WARNING TOXINS DETECTED IN MAIN VIEWBAY." an automated voice sounded.

"Hah," Okeer snorted, "She thinks she can dispose of me like the rest of the grunts?" he took his pistol that Shepard had given him and shot the viewing window. His blasts punched through the glass and shattered it. Allowing the interior viewbay air to mix with the main storage bay outside.

"WARNING TOXINS DETECTED IN MAIN STORAGE BAY, COMMENCING EMERGENCY VENT OVERRIDE."

'Heh.'

Jedore was still patched through to the room's comm system. "Dammit! All teams on standby, converge on the lab. Find Okeer and shoot on sight, repeat shoot Okeer on sight!"

"Looks like I pissed her off," he said, "Good"

Hayt heard several knocks on the entrance door to the viewbay and muffled voices outside. Quickly, he set himself up behind cover facing the entrance. The voices continued.

The door opened and several mercs breached the entrance. Hayt, set up, popped the heads of the first two to come through. The third hesitated and was dispatched in due course. The others outside had more sense and took cover behind the entrance supports. Hayt wasn't going to allow them to get a beachhead and tossed a grenade into the passage beyond. He waited. He heard panicked yells and orders for a couple of seconds as they realised what had happened.

KROOM! The grenade detonated, something designed to put a dent in daemonic warp forces absolutely shredded the mercs outside. Upon detonation he hurled himself over his makeshift cover and ran to the door. The passage outside bore the blast and scorch marks of the explosion. It was littered with bodies. Several still moved.

Hayt dispatched the wounded with double tap shots. He advanced further down the passage, keeping an eye out for any rear guard that may have escaped the blast. At the end of the passage a merc rounded the corner, not expecting Hayt to be there. Hayt dispatched him and he fell to the floor.

"Hayt!" Shepard said through the comm, "What's your situation?"

"Am holding at the entranceway. They're funneled into the passageway."

"Acknowledged. We're engaging Jedore. Will update soon, Shepard out."

Hayt watched the corner, suddenly a small disc bounced into the room. Without thinking Hayt kicked it back and bolted the other way. His instincts served him well as he felt, rather than heard, the grenade blast. A hot wave of heat seared his back as he retreated back into the viewing bay. He shouldered against the entranceway. He had a clear view down the passage. Several of the bodies had been displaced by the newer grenade explosion.

His looked round and saw the xenos scientist looking in his direction. He nodded his head slowly. "Impressive human. . .you fight with nothing held back. I approve."

Hayt wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel getting praise from a xenos. A war focused xenos to boot. Hayt decided to ignore it and refocused his attention down the passageway.

"It seems your friends are encountering trouble." the krogan said, looking out the smashed viewport. "Given time, they would succeed. But before she dies, I want Jedore to know who really runs this operation." he flipped some dials on the console in front of him. He depressed a button on the control panel.

"THIS IS OKEER." he said, his voice boomed across the loudspeakers of the facility.

"What the hell? How did he get on here? Shut it off!" Jedore's voice echoed through on the same channel.

"Krogan. . .my krogan. Hear me! You may not be the future of the krogan race as I wanted to make you. But you are Krogan still! Rise up! I call you to me! Carve a path of blood to the summit of the station and strike down the imposter leader Jedore and her lackeys in blue! She, who thought she could make you her slaves. Rise! Fight! For the HORDE!"

He deactivated the comm.

"Heh. . heh. I wish I could watch her squirm. But I have work to do." the krogan stomped back to the machine and continued whatever work he needed to do.

More figures were peeking around the corridor on the far end of the entrance passage. Hayt waited for a decent shot before firing. Far away, a smoking ruin of a merc fell to the ground.

"Are you going to help at all xenos?" Hayt asked the Krogan. Annoyed that he was being used to defend a xenos scientist.

"I will, human. I will help you in your fight with the collectors. But first you must help me." he didn't turn his back. Hayt sighed.

* * *

><p>Out in the main storage bay Shepard's team was busy engaging Jedore and her mercenaries. She had called in for reinforcements, which were entering through the other exits further along the bay. She saw a heavy mech in the midst as well. This was going <em>absolutely fantastic<em> she thought to herself.

Suddenly a voice boomed through the speakers, "THIS IS OKEER!"

What the hell is that krogan doing? thought Shepard.

"Krogan. . .my krogan. Hear me! You may not be the future of the krogan race as I wanted to make you. But you are Krogan still! Rise up! I call you to me! Carve a path of blood to the summit of the station and strike down the imposter leader Jedore and her lackeys in blue! She, who thought she could make you her slaves. Rise! Fight! For the HORDE!"

"That didn't sound good." said Miranda as she fired at an encroaching merc. Her shots went true and the merc went down, hard.

"You really know how to pick 'em Shepard." said Jacob to her left.

"Hey! I didn't make the bloody dossier!" She said and took her anger out on a mercenary who made the mistake of trying to look at her.

"Incoming!" Mordin yelled and ducked.

Shepard instinctively ducked and she heard an explosion detonated near her. That heavy mech was in firing range she realised. Crap! That made their position much more difficult. She ordered Mordin to go right, around the krogan cloning tanks. He repositioned expertly. Miranda and Jacob she ordered to concentrate their fire on the infantry. They couldn't do anything to the mech yet until they got closer.

"Shepard, new development. Krogan tanks opening!" Mordin said. Shepard swore.

"Ok, fall back to those barricades! We need an open killzone on those tanks."

"Shepard Krogan not coming for us. Attacking mercs. Fortunate turn of events."

That is was. As Shepard watched, a krogan emerged from a tank and as it recovered began firing into the mercs advanced across the storage bay. It shot one, two before the others recognised the new threat and targeted it down. Even as it fell, she saw three other pods opening. She looked round. God, there must be hundreds of them in here. She began to see other pods opening, their occupants falling to the floor before rising again.

The new combatants turned and faced the enemy. Many of them were picked off in short order, but they took out a few mercenaries each. With more and more pods opening Shepard sensed opportunity.

"Move up! Team, close them!" Shepard vaulted over the cover and sprayed fire in to the mercs' direction. The mercs were busy handling the ever increasing Krogan numbers. Not only from the tanks, but other Krogan teams began to enter through other exits. The mercs' momentum was halted as a wall of angry Krogan assaulted them.

Shepard stood against an already open tank, and fired again at the enemy. She saw her team keeping pace with her. Good. That heavy mech needed taken down. Even now it was shredding Krogan that dared come near it.

Shepard was on a lower level. The mech was ten, maybe twelve metres away.

"Mordin, Miranda cover! Jacob follow me!" she didn't wait for them to start, she just ran. She hauled herself up to a higher level and crouched next to a storage tank. She peeked out. Fired. Another merc went down. The heavy mech hadn't targeted her yet.

Jacob joined her momentarily. Good, she'd need his biotics. She switched for the shotgun.

"Jacob, when I give the word, overload that thing with everything you have."

'"Aye commander." he nodded.

She dashed out of cover, legs pumping. She closed the distance. Whatever algorithms guided the intelligence in the mech focused on the little human running at it. It started to turn, bring its heavy cannon to bear.

"NOW JACOB!" she cried. The mech was engulfed an immense dark energy field. Overloading its shields. It staggered, its sensors momentarily scrambled and its gyro mechanism knocked off balance. Shepard leaped it it, shotgun ready. She barrelled into its chest, one arm clinging onto the top ridge of its chest unit. Her shotgun fired in quick succession, blowing the entire head section of the mech clean off. She could hear the mech falter, its internal circuitry disrupted.

Summoning strength, she kicked off the mech with a great pump from her legs. It propelled her back. The mech fell to its knees. An internal ticking growing louder and louder.

She scrambled to her feet and legged it, she made a couple of metres before the mech exploded in a firestorm of shrapnel. The pressure wave threw her the last few metres back to Jacob.

She landed on the floor next to him

"Commander are you all right?"

"Peachy." she groaned and dragged herself back into cover. She checked her weapon, empty. She reloaded. What was it she'd said to Hayt about reckless heroics?

She looked over the cover to the developing battle. It was chaos. The mercenaries were giving a good account of themselves, despite the large numbers of krogan swarming in from every side.

"Come on!" she said. Jacob followed

"All teams get to the tower!" Jedore cried over the intercom, "The krogan are loose!"

This ends now, thought Shepard as they closed in on the mercenary position.

Sprinting to another forward piece of cover she glimpsed Jedore, strutting about in her bulky tech armour. Shepard saw her fire at something before she went out of sight.

The sounds of conflict filled the cavernous chamber. This wasn't a firefight any more, this was a fully developed battle. The lab was in a sorry state of destruction from the damage inflicted by the warring parties. Another explosion rocked the tanks to the left of Shepard. She directed her team forward. They did so with admirable efficiency. Jacob felled another merc with his biotics while Miranda shredded another.

Shepard glimpsed Jedore again, she was reloading her rocket launcher. Now was her chance! Shepard moved forward to a tank further forward. Closer now, almost within range. She peeked round and withdrew. Jedore was regrouping what men she could. Barking orders like a madwoman.

She saw Mordin draw level with her tank. She nodded to him. Miranda followed, loosing shots in Jedore's direction, more for effect than anything else. Jedore's group seemed to take offence as Shepard's team was replied with a fusilade of fire against their positions.

"On my signal, Jacob follow me. Miranda and Mordin, Keep Jedore pinned." they acknowledged. A detonation went off somewhere in the distance, its location lost amid the general melee.

"Go!" Shepard said. and sprinted forward. She activated her implant and time slowed as it did. She perceived an enemy rise to meet her charge, she dispatched him without thought, her muscles acting entirely on impulse at this speed. Another, she saw almost comically spin round in slow motion as Mordin's pinpoint fire caught him in the chest. Jedore was still behind cover, yet to challenge Shepard.

Her mistake, she thought as she barrelled over the mercs' cover. She blasted another in the shoulder. He blew back against the bay wall. She punched another with the butt of the shotgun. Something cracked.

Jedore was hiding just feet away now, over the next wall. Shepard brought up her weapon as Jedore rose.

"I'll tear you apar. . ." Jedore started but was interrupted as Shepard emptied the rest of her clip into her body. Her tech armour crumpled under the impacts and lethal projectiles tore through her flesh. She sprawled on the floor, gasping for air. Shepard dropped the shotgun and drew her pistol.

"You.. .bitch. ." Jedore croaked before she gasped her last. Her body fell still on the ground. Shepard scanned around for more threats, the combat stim was wearing off, things were returning to normal speed. Jacob was beside her, scanning the area.

The mercs were collapsing. The Krogan were pouring in from all over the complex. She didn't think they realised just how many Okeer had created.

And now they were pissed. They roared, shouted charged and punched their way through the mercenaries

Shepard looked back to the viewbay, Okeer was standing there. The glass was broken. He looked pleased with himself. He looked at Shepard, nodded and went back inside the room. Whatever information he had, it had better be worth it.

She signalled her team to make their way back to the viewbay. They did so. Even still, the sounds of fighting were filtering back to them, though much less intense than before. It looked as if the mercs lost horribly. The bay was a mess of broken bodies and shattered equipment.

They climbed the stairs next to the viewbay, Shepard saw Hayt keeping watch inside the window. They opened the door and entered.

Shepard's team entered the bay. Okeer turned from his work.

"Your reputation does you no credit, Shepard. Such a display was fitting of any Krogan."

"Glad you think so. Now, I need information on the collectors."

"Yes, collector attacks have increased, a human concern. My requests were focused elsewhere." He turned and walked over to his tank, to the massive krogan lying suspended in it. "I acquired the knowledge to create one pure soldier. With that, I will inflict upon the genophage the greatest insult an enemy can suffer. To be ignored."

Shepard looked out into the broken storage bay, to the bodies of dozens of krogan lying on the steel deck. "Your perfect soldier created a lot of failures. you don't care about them?"

Okeer sneered "I failed no one. My rejects are exactly what Jedore asked for. She simply lacks the ability to command. They are strong, healthy, and useless to me. I need perfection. If a few thousand are rejected, so be it. My work will purify the krogan. We will not be restored - we will be renewed."

Shepard crossed her arms "I thought the Krogan ideal was a return to the numbers that threatened the galaxy."

"We will not need numbers. My soldier's a template. It is a greater threat than all the phantom siblings that would have been at its flank. The galaxy still bears the scars of the horde. But it will learn to fear the lance."

"You're just as cruel and manipulative as those that released the genophage on your people."

"Perhaps. But i will restore the Krogan, and my soldier will not provoke a nuclear response as a 'cure' or 'horde' would. My legacy is perfection, with each krogan reaching higher by standing on our dead. They will exceed, but not forget."

"What did you get from the collectors? I need whatever you know about them."

He grunted, "They are strange. So isolated, yet very available when your sacrifice is big enough. I gave them many krogan. I may have information for you, but what tech I acquired was consumed in my prototype. After I determined how to use it without killing the subjects. The deaths were unfortunate, but I only need one success to start the process."

"So you don't want to cure the genophage?"

"Contrary to what survivors claim, the genophage does not produce strong krogan - the only quality it filters is the ability to survive the genophage. For every thousand stillborn, too many weaklings live. Every survivor is branded as precious. That's produced more coddling than your collective human teats"

"I say let us carry the genophage! Let a thousand die in a clutch. We will defeat it by climbing atop our dead. That is the krogan way!"

"Your methods are extreme, but we need that information. Thousands of lives are at stake here, Okeer. Will you help us?"

"Perhaps. . . but if you'll excuse me." he turned and walked to the broken window, turned to the Krogan standing out in the bay.

"My Krogan. I am Okeer! You know my name! You know my purpose, you know your failure!" he paused " Each of you is a failure against the genophage of the Krogan, but not their spirit. You are tank born, born to fight! Born for battle! Jedore wanted to enslave you, I shall do no such thing. I bid you go out into the galaxy and forge a name for yourselves. Many of you will have no place in the Krogan's future, but each of you can surely make a dent in the present! That is the Krogan way!

"Okeer! Okeer! Okeer!" they chanted, vibrating the structure. Whether it was psychometric conditioning or genuine admiration Shepard couldn't tell, probably both. She saw Okeer raise his hands to his creations like some mad prophet. He turned away from them and back to Shepard's team.

"I am in your debt, Shepard. All krogan are. I will help you in your fight Shepard, but know this. My prototype . ." he looked to the tank, " is non negotiable. Where I go, it goes. It is my legacy."

Shepard looked at the tank, she didn't like the idea of having a potential frankenstein, a krogan frankenstein at that, on board but what choice did she have?"

"Agreed. Gather what you need and be ready to move out."

Okeer bowed his head, "This will be interesting Shepard. I smell it."

Shepard turned back to her team. Miranda, as usual, was the first to voice objection.

"Shepard are you sure it's a wise idea letting that thing onboard?"

Shepard sighed, the woman could be aggravating sometimes. "It doesn't look like we have a choice does it? Okeer's dedicated to his tank. Its a package deal. You want to leave here without Okeer?" Shepard snapped, perhaps too harshly.

Miranda met her stare, "It's your call Shepard, we will have to live with the consequences of your decision."

Shepard hit her earpiece "Joker, bring the Normandy in, we got a package that needs lifted out. . . and its a big one"

* * *

><p>Back aboard the Normandy's briefing room Shepard was toying with her cup of coffee. She got the now traditional talk from Jacob about the state of her gear. She didn't envy him trying to get the dust out of her armour.<p>

Shepard sat at the head of the table. Next to her was Miranda and Mordin, they waited on their last guest. The Krogan Okeer, who had somehow managed to get shot and not notice, was undergoing treatment the doctor. He rebelled initially but he hadn't counted on Chakwas. He didn't stand a chance.

Shepard grinned and sipped the coffee. Ahh that tasted good.

"Are you sure it was a good idea to let his experiment on with him? We saw what the other Korgan were like down there." Miranda said. Shepard rubbed her forehead.

"Look, Okeer said his pet was non-negotiable. We need him. He may be a crazed Krogan scientist but he's a smart crazy Korgan scientist, and he has info we need. Besides, he's so attached to it I doubt he'd try anything that might risk his experiment."

The glimmers of doubt remained in Miranda's eyes, "I suppose. I'll have EDI monitor the tank, check for any sign that it wakes up."

"Good idea."

The debriefing room doors opened and Okeer entered.

"Tell your doctor next time I'll decide when I'm injured. Not her!"

"You're welcome to try it" Shepard said

Okeer grumbled something and sat down. "So? Where do we begin?"

"Tell us what you know about the collectors." Shepard asked plainly

"The collectors, yes. As I have said before, they are most elusive, yet readily available when your sacrifice is great enough."

"Yeah, we heard all that, what else can you tell us?"

"You know they come from the omega 4 relay?"

"Yeah, this is hardly the most up to date material."

"Then your material is not as fulfilled as you imagine. They operate out of the omega 4 relay yes, but they have outposts stationed across the galaxy. In dormant status, ready to be awoken at the correct opportunity."

"How? Surely we'd have picked up on them."

"You forgot the true vastness of space. Collectors have no need of planets, the stations, their resource bases. They hide in deep space. The council has no hope of mapping the entirety of space between its worlds. "

"If it's true, Miranda said, it would explain how the collectors come and go with no warning. They just don't have one ship entering and leaving the relay, but many."

"I dare even though you track what goes in and out of the relay, where that ship goes after that is a mystery to all of you, now consider if each of those ships you tracked was a different one. Now you grasp the problem."

Shepard agreed, this was serious. It could mean hundreds of collector ships were just hiding, waiting in citadel space across the galaxy.

"How does this help us?"

Okeer steepled his hands, almost humorous for a krogan. "Now what would you say if I possibly knew the location of a collector outpost?"

"Do you?"

"I do."

"Are you going to give us the location?"

"You kept your word Shepard, true as a krogan you kept your word. I will respect that. The location is yours."

"Also, I managed to scan the collector tech before it was consumed I the prototype. I may be able to offer some assistance to you."

"Any suggestions you have will be appreciated. We're pulling out all the stops on this one."

"One last thing. When we broke out of Jedore's cesspit, my prototype was nearing completion. Soon, he will be ready to waken."

Miranda cast a sideways glance at Shepard. Shepard looked at Okeer,

"You want to awaken a supersoldier in a highly confined ship?"

"Yes. Is this a problem?"

"I'll get back to you on that. At the very least its going to need heavy supervision to make sure it doesn't damage the hull."

"I have waited a long time to awaken my prototype. I can wait a _little_ longer." The krogan making no mistake as to they key word in his response.

"Good. Give any data you have on the collectors to Mordin. He's in the lab. "

"Shepard." the krogan nodded, turned as a glacier turns, and left the room.

Shepard paused to think. 'Did I just give permission for two of the craziest, smartest people in the galaxy to collaborate?"

"I think you did."


	9. Presidium Perspectives

_G'day everyone! good to be back, here's Chapter 9 for you all. I've been out of practice for a while so let me know if any aspect of this chapter doesn't live up to the rest and I'll get it sorted. All criticism is welcome!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9: Presidium Perspectives<strong>

Arced lightning coursed across the surface of the Serpent's Nebula relay. A second later, a blinding flash as several starships exited the mass effect tunnel. Listless, they hung for a second, their external radiation sinks trying to dissipate as much power as they could.

Moments later, their engines fired. Five craft, the size of frigates, swarmed like a school of fish around a much larger vessel.

They were vessels not seen in the Serpent Nebula for close to a decade. Their hulls were angular and armoured. Their prows blunt and angry. They drifted for a minute before they regained their formation. An alert went out to the citadel defence fleet and they tagged the new arrivals. Their IFF's having marked them out for cautionary security.

They stood down when they saw that this was a scheduled arrival. The citadel was expecting them, business as usual. The probing scanners and attentions turned away from them.

The larger shark lit its main engines and fired its way in the direction of the citadel. Paying its smaller escort almost no heed. They copied its movements, and the small fleet began advancing towards the citadel's docking sectors.

* * *

><p>The exterior balcony was on the third floor of the alliance embassy. It overlooked the back grounds and ancillary buildings of the embassy complex. Below, men and women in uniforms scuttled about the carefully manicured hedgerows and greens.<p>

Mercifully, all human.

The inquisitor clutched his datapad with one hand, the other rested on the balcony rail. He preferred it out here. The air may be the same, but it had the feeling of outside.

Shepard's crew, along with Hayt, had been gone for two days. He had remained behind. He looked off in the direction of the enigmatic statue. It was obscured by other buildings and vegetation, but he knew it was there. He'd spent the past two days trying to uncover its secret.

The embassy staff had been courteous enough, though he could tell they were ill at ease. He stuck out like a sore thumb around the embassy, more than he would have liked.

It still amazed him how everyone dressed the same in this world. It was hard to tell the upper and lower classes apart sometimes. . . They all wore the same plain and tight fitting clothing.

He looked down at himself. Deprived of his favourite greatcoat back in the imperium ( Tleilaxu Primaris tailoring! ) he'd been given a black suit jacket and grey trousers. The boots were his own, Imperial made, and fitted well.

'Always invest in good shoes' he remembered his armourer repeat religiously. 'They're the only part of you that spends their whole life scraping across the galaxy.'

He had retrieved what he could from the satchels and bags attached or hung from his power armour back on the Normandy. Many items like grenades or psi mines, he left with the armour, but the rest. . .

The wards, the talismans, the tomes. Those he took with him. Their pages were filled with the arcane and demonic knowledge and he would not risk letting them out of his sight.

This self imposed custodianship of forbidden knowledge resulted in him looking ill suited to refined life on the Presidium. Leather books were held against his thighs, bags and pouches hung from his waist. Over his shoulder and underneath his jacket was draped a sash on which he had fashioned the protective wards and sigils that adorned his armour. He had felt much better whenever he had initially pulled the completed sash over himself. Their subtle psychic barriers descended over his mind.

Above all, hung from his neck and displayed on his chest, was the seal of the Inquisition. Eight inches in height, black and gold. it was a familiar weight around his shoulders.

He went back to cycling through the pages of the datapad. Two days, and not another thing learnt. He had searched through countless pages on the extranet and had found no other clue, though he suspected its knowledge was incomplete. No nation or species, he reasoned, would be foolish enough to put all their knowledge and information into an open, insecure network like this, where it was vulnerable and freely accessed. . .

His movement was restricted around the Presidium. He was not a member of the human 'alliance' nor any other council nation. Therefore his freedom of movement around the citadel was confined to this section of the Praesidium. He did not mind, he rarely ventured outside the embassy.

His requests had been unfruitful. They had come back with data and files from when the asari first discovered the citadel. Back then, he had read, the statue had been documented by the xenos scientists and mostly overlooked. Passed by as a mere curiosity for over a millennia.

A noise from behind brought him out of his train of thought.

"Thought I'd find you here." the voice was flavoured with a metallic twang. The xenos called Garrus appeared beside him on the balcony. He nodded to the inquisitor and leant on the barrier beside the inquisitor.

Eisenmus shifted uncomfortably. "Turian." he said, flatly. The turian still wore his blue armour. Did he ever change out of it? Did he need to?

Garrus glanced at the human. Short, stocky. His silvery head and face fur was slightly tangled. He looked weary, like an old man, but his eyes belied what the body was trying to tell them. The turian's eyes dropped to the tomes at his waist.

"Are those actual paper books?" Garrus asked as his curiosity couldn't hold any longer.

"Yes." the inquisitor saw Garrus's stare, "Is that strange?"

"I've never had an honest to spirits paper book. Last time I saw one it was in some museum on Palaven." the human genuinely looked surprised, but then went back to his datapad.

"So, you're from the future huh?" Garrus continued after a moment of silence.

The man stopped scrolling on the datapad. He looked up and across the expanse of the embassy complex

"It would appear so." he conceded. " In honesty we don't know how we got here."

"What's it like?"

"What?"

"The future. How long did you say it was until your time?"

"Here, now, it's currently the second millennium AD. We're from the forty first millennium."

Garrus whistled. "41,000 years and life's still kicking eh?"

"Just about." All the threats to the imperium flashed across the inquisitor's mind. 'Just about'. . . he repeated inwardly.

Garrus hesitated for a moment. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to ask the next question. He'd come out here to ask it, but now it didn't seem like such a good idea.

Spiritsdammit, just ask the man! he thought, "Before you came here, to this time, did you ever see a turian before?"

Eisenmus shook his head. "No. Apart from humans, I haven't seen any of the species here before."

A pause. The unspoken revelation hung in the air. After a moment, Garrus spoke again, "Do you know what happened?"

A shrug. "There's no mention of turians in the past ten thousand years. Before that there was something called the Age of Strife. A lot of knowledge was lost. . .a lot of places were isolated" the inquisitor said, matter of fact.

Garrus nodded. "I get the picture. Some shit went down the the turians bit it. Bet we went down fighting though."

Eisenmus looked at Garrus. Here was a xenos that had just heard of the inevitable death of his species. A flash of awareness surged through him, here was a member of a doomed race. Dead thousands of years before the Imperium came to be. No other imperial human had seen these turians before and none were ever going to.

He did not feel regret for the loss. Nor did he pity them, for he knew they were xenos, and thus unfit for co-existing with humanity. But he did feel a new perspective. The age of strife had been harsh. Humanity itself had almost destroyed itself. How many others hadn't made the right choices for survival? How many others succumbed to the galactic maelstrom of which the archives knew so little?

"What about the others?" the turian continued, unabated "Humans are still around, obviously. And those . he paused. Eldar are as well. Asari, salarian, krogan? what about them?"

Eisenmus shook his head. "None."

Garrus grunted. "Heh, at least we weren't the only ones. Spirits, that would have been embarrassing." He lifted off the railing and turned back inside. Leaving Eisenmus alone out on the balcony.

* * *

><p>Gerril watched the alliance embassy far down the landscape of the Presidium. His retinal implants flashed into action, reams of data flashed by on its hud. He had long ago been trained to ignore all but the vital points of interest.<p>

His surveillance bugs were in place. His tiny motion detectors scatters around the entrances. Motion cameras and video equipment was installed at the chokepoints.

He lifted his drink and took a sip. He set it back down on the table. The cafe was nice, further back from the main Praesidium thoroughfares. It was less crowded than the ones most frequented by the ambassadors and diplomats of the embassies.

Yes, this place did very nicely, the food wasn't bad either. He'd just finished a very nice meal and was waiting on his drink. Over the last few years, he'd developed a taste for the human drink coffee. He found it helped him think quicker.

He scratched one of his horns before turning his attention back to his data slate. His large, bulbous eyes scanning all the info coming in from the field feeds. There were several other patrons, each engrossed in either the news or in conversation with each other. None of them knew that they were sitting next to an STG agent.

He studied the images and data on his screen. Like a hawk, he picked pieces of data here and there that the council would want to know. Who entered? left? who was in. . .wait, what was that?

One of his cameras went out. Suspicion flared in Gerril's mind. There was a remote possibility that it was a technical fault. But he had installed those cameras himself. He knew his job well.

He did a quick cycle through the others, maybe he could see something. If someone discovered it, had they discovered more?

He cycled through all the viewpoints. The rest were still there, still projecting their images dutifully back to his omnitool.

His suspicion faded, maybe just a technical fault. After finishing checks on the others he'll go and reboot it.

Then another went out, then another.

Now he was scrambling. Trying to get to grips with the others, looking for any clue that might give away his unknown enemy. He checked the telemetry feeds from the cameras, they sent back much more than video footage. Motion detection, infrared, nearby heat sources and any digital signatures from computer systems nearby, all sent back.

His coffee arrived, he wasn't paying attention to it. He was going through the feeds, scanning the lines of code. Any discrepancies were recorded in the event logs. In their final few moments of life, the cameras had sent back notes about their demise.

He took a swig of the coffee. He liked the strong aroma. From the event logs, all their systems had shut down in almost an instant. He paused to think. That meant EMP. Targeted emp, to be more specific. He hadn't seen an entire section of the station go dark so it must have been a localised beam.

That was advanced tech, if the alliance had discovered the cameras they'd have just sent people to pick them up, they didn't have such advanced tech to put to trivial use like this.

He coughed. Whoever was doing this wanted it kept secret. That gave them away. Gaining confidence, he delved back into the logs, this time knowing what to look for. Any new additions in the digital signatures in the surrounding areas. Nothing that could produce an emp beam like that would fit in with the omni tools and datapads of the general populace.

Something was nagging him. He was missing something, but couldn't tell what. Years in the STG had honed in him a sixth sense, an instinct. Currently this instinct was telling him he had missed something. Something important.

His head ached. He rubbed it. He looked at the rest of the patrons, still enjoying their meals, unaware of the critical struggle taking place right beside him. He took another drink of the coffee.

His headache seemed to worsen as his nagging feeling grew. He checked and rechecked the data. Nothing. He kept at the logs, to no avail.

Coffee drained and feeling like shit, he decided he'd have to retrieve the cameras himself. If they were still there, he added. He made to rise from the table. He tried to stand only to realise his legs were lead. He barely made it two steps before collapsing. He heard shouts and gasps from the other patrons as he lay on the floor. He began coughing uncontrollably. His headache was piercing.

In the distance, away from the throng of hapless patrons starting to surround his body, he saw a human waiter. As his vision began to fail, he noticed the blue plastic gloves on the waitor's hands. The figure looked at him and said something into his earpiece before proceeding to calmly clean up his table.

* * *

><p>Requests for docking were issued and granted. The newcomer fleet flew in close to the docking port. The smaller vessels breaking off as their larger comrade slowed to a halt at the edge of the citadel. Hundreds, thousands of ships were docked beside it. But few were as large. It was the size of a heavy cruiser and consequently demanded one of the largest hangers. Its presence was made known even now, with groups of smaller ships and transport assignments being diverted to make room for this new arrival.<p>

Multiple, titanic docking beams reached out to grasp the ship. Each tipped with a powerful magnetic clamp. They impacted the ship and sealed their grip. Now secure and one with the great station, a boarding tunnel extended out to the vessel's main airlock. It impacted the side and sealed itself in place. Lights on control surfaces across both sides turned green as the interior was pressurized.

The airlock ground open and the ship's owner stepped into the boarding tunnel. He wasn't alone. Accompanied by several attendants he strode along the boarding tunnel. His heavy boots clicking on the metal floor.

The figure leading the group clenched his fist in rage. He was here on a personal matter, to see justice done. It sickened him that people could commit crimes against honest men and the so called council does nothing.

His footsteps echoed around the corridor.

He hadn't even been told! He'd heard from the galactic news. His senior position in the hegemony allowed him access to some types of information forbidden to the common classes. He'd seen the report on what happened. He hadn't even been told. . . .

Thoughts turned over and over in his mind. All four eyes were focussed on the station access portal ahead of him.

How long was it? A decade, more maybe, since he'd last been here. After the batarians closed their embassy in protest, the council didn't take too kindly to the members of the 'outcast' species.

He thought of his old mentor, 'if you claim to control paradise, how do you explain those that wish to change it?' he'd said of them. It'd been his final words before he left the citadel to these interfering, manipulative liars and hypocrites.

The access portal was nearing now. Soon, he's have his answers. One way or another, he'd have justice.

One of his attendants drew level with him. Varn, good man. Excellent administrative skills.

"My Lord Baron, we've received acknowledgment of your arrival from the Presidium. The council's been notified of your arrival and will be ready to meet you in two hours."

The Baron grumbled at this remark. Yet another stumbling block they put in the way of him. They had agreed to meet him immediately. Now, they snubbed him to his face!

"Fine." he replied. He gestured for the attendant's data slate, took it. His four eyes scanned the contents of the page. He scoffed, nothing but empty apologies and excuses for their delay.

His party reached the end of the boarding tunnel and exited out onto the citadel. They stood in one of the main docking bays. In the distance, smaller ships were docked in almost comically thin clamps and walkways. His own vessel dwarfed those around it.

He looked ahead. No-one to greet him. He sighed, everything they could do to make him and this race feel like outcasts they did. Unabashedly! 'The citadel council of tolerance and respect . . . apart from those we don't like'

Baron Ven Barc stood at the docking entrance to his ship, and turned to his attendants. He knew them well, and trusted them. They looked back with the shared feeling of betrayal towards those that dwelled within this station.

"Now. We get justice for the death of my son!"

* * *

><p>Through the crowded sky lanes of the citadel flew millions of air cars, freight traffic and official vehicles. The entire scene was horrifyingly ordered. No car strayed from its designated flight path.<p>

One aircar, one of the smaller models, only a two seater, scooted through the traffic. The asari behind the controls kept a watchful eye on the surrounding vehicles.

She paid no undue attention to a light freighter slowly overtaking above her canopy, she was still a comfortable distance from it. She barely noticed, but the two vehicles matched speed. The light freighter now leading a short distance ahead in the traffic lane.

Then its rear hatch opened.

She whipped around, her attention caught. She was momentarily startled by this strange event.

She was just about to swerve to the side, to avoid the debris that would come spilling out from the interior when she saw the collection of figures in the doorway.

She sat. Hands frozen on the controls. Momentarily curious at the odd scene.

The figure in the doorway had a missile launcher.

"Oh SHI. . ." she started, before the rocket screamed the short distance between the two vehicles and blew open the canopy of her craft. Both car and driver were obliterated in a shower of flaming debris. Behind, traffic scattered to avoid the ever expanding cloud of wreckage. Ahead of them, the figure in the freighter lowered his weapon.

"Target 3 eliminated." it said into its comm as it watched the wreck that had contained the asari special agent tumble down into one of the lower wards.

* * *

><p>The Baron's hands clenched around the protective railing. His armour scraped against the metal.<p>

"Councillors," he began, staring at the figures. His voice rumbled through the chamber, "I am here for justice against those that took my son from me."

He paused, "Not more than two weeks ago," He paced. "my son was attacked on his own ship by one of your agents" He pointed at them with an outstretched finger. They didn't react.

"My son was attacked and killed by your Agent Shepard!" he could feel his emotion rising closer and closer in his speech. "Acting well outside framework and causing the deaths of not only my son and his crew but the destruction of the prison ship purgatory. I seek charges brought against her!"

Angry eyes stared at the council, Passive faces stared back across the void of the council chamber.

Tevos started, her voice mockingly calm to the Baron's ears, "Baron Ven Barc. I am sincerely sorry for the loss of your son. But I'm afraid the council cannot help you. We have seen the report. Your son was operating a slaving ship in citadel space, in direct violation of galactic law. In view of the law, Shepard was well within her legal right to seize the ship."

This woman will not help me, she doesn't care. . . "Her legal right?. . She MURDERED my son!"

"Your son was operating an slave ship! I don't have to tell you slavery is against the law!"

"Your laws! To us the practice of slavery is synonymous with responsibility! It is ingrained in us. You can blame us no more for this than we can blame young asari for wanting to dance in every club and strip joint they see!"

"Nevertheless, your laws end at your borders."

"Apologizes, I wasn't under the impression that the citadel council considers the Terminus Systems their territory now. . ."

The corner of Tevos' mouth curled, "I apologize, but your son was breaking the law, to excuse him would require breaking treaties that bind together the citadel races. We cannot help you."

He looked at the human councillor. Who stared back. He would be of no help. Shepard was the human posterchild. In humanity's view, even if Shepard killed an entire colony of Batarians, she could do no wrong.

Barc shook his head and turned to Councillor Sparatus. "Councillor, what would a turian do, if someone killed their son?"

Sparatus visibly shifted. The Baron dared to hope. He saw the other councillors shoot glares at him. He could be my chance . . .

"Baron Ven Barc." his voice hesitant. "We both know what a turian would do if their son was murdered, and I share your desire for vengeance, but. ." he paused. Barc's hopes dashed. "The situation is. . .difficult" he spat the world. "I am sorry, but we cannot bring charges against her."

The Baron stared at them, disbelievingly. He knew it was unlikely they'd actually see sense but. .

The callousness of it. . .

"Farce". . . he muttered.

The councillors tilted their heads, none of them making out what he said. The Baron saw their confused faces.

"I said this is a farce" the sentence dripped menace into the room. It coiled around the supports and up to the ceiling.

The council stood silent. They were astute enough politicians to know when to keep quiet.

The baron released his tight grip on the railing and turned to leave the chamber.

"The Hegemony is better off without you." he said as he marched out of the room.

Away from the chamber, the lift hummed rhythmically as it passed the many stories between the top council floors and the base. Barc was silent. His advisors said nothing, they knew better at times like this.

It reached the base, him and his entourage spilled out into the landscaped, ordered gardens of the Presidium. Barc barely noticed any of it.

"Beltric" he said, looking to the batarian with a heavy set jaw and a tattoo consisting of three straight lines running across his scalp.

"Baron?" he replied. Beltric was the Baron's magistrate. His second in command. He'd been with the Baron for over 15 years, knew the man, knew his motives. So much so he already guessed what was coming next.

"Get me Braille!" he ordered. His second nodded, his suspicion confirmed.

"I'll see to it right away, sir." he replied and left in the direction of the ship hangars.

He looked at the other two member of his retinue, his clerk, Varn and Halton, his security chief.

"From the news, Shepard's still out in the terminus systems." Varn said. "If Braille can get to her out there. . ."

"What do you mean if?" Haldon scolded the administrator. "_When_ Braille finds her, he'll kill her, skin her and feed what's left of her to the fucking vorcha."

Barc smiled at his officers' enthusiasm. They'd all watched his son grow up in the palace grounds. They'd dined with him, sported with him, duelled with him. . .

That boy would have made a fine Baron one day. . .killed like that on a simple slaving run.

He shook memories from the present and focussed his emotion down a narrow beam, with the human Shepard woman at the pointed end of it.

That murderer will pay for taking my son! he thought.

* * *

><p>The day passed. The citadel continued its perpetual rotation. A dimness began to overtake the uniform light of the main day cycle. Soon, the alliance embassy was well into its regular twilight cycle.<p>

"The asari live for a thousand years?" Eisenmus asked. He shifted in his chair. The room was getting dark, but the auto-lights had just began to glow to counteract the increasing twilight.

"Close to that, yeah. Something to do with their attunement to biotics the eggheads say." Udina poured himself another glass, "And by god, they rub it in. Nothing in the galaxy produces more arrogance than the ability to outlive your rivals by a couple of centuries. . ."

Eisenmus nodded. "I've experienced that well enough. I've come across a couple of planetary governors who thought the same."

"What, humans? How long could _they_ live for?"

"With the right treatments you could push three . . maybe three and a half hundred."

Udina coughed. "How old are you then?!"

Eisenmus shrugged, "Around two hundred and ten. In honesty I don't know."

"Jesus man," he chuckled, "I'm talking to a fossil!"

Eisenmus grinned and took a sip. "Don't go getting any ideas, its rare and expensive."

Eisenmus had met Udina properly shortly after Shepard had left for Korlus. The human councillor had been pleased with getting to talk to the new arrivals of his embassy. Eisenmus had been sceptical, thinking that he was just another xeno lover. He'd been pleasantly surprised when he heard Udina's views. (while still nowhere near the honest policies of the imperium) were a welcome step in the right direction.

The inquisitor had recognised the shrewd intellect behind the politicians facade, and Udina had come to realise that he was not talking to just another grunt. The two came to respect the others intellect and insight over the following days.

When Eisenmus had been doing research into the citadel races, Udina had helped him fill in the blanks. By contrast the inquisitor was well versed in the political spheres of imperial governance, and was able to give his insight on a couple of Udina's cases.

"What do you make of the council now? Now that you've had the last few days to get a grips of it."

Eisenmus leaned forward, sensing a hidden question.

"I will be as blunt now as I was in our first meeting. My loyalty is to the human race. I will not recognise the authority of alien influence in human affairs. I have gathered that this opinion is deeply unpopular in these times, but I won't change it."

Udina looked at him. Silent for a moment. He sighed.

"If only more people agreed with you Eisenmus."

Eisenmus hesitated, unwilling to venture more than he should. He leaned back, "Do you know the illusive man?" A glimmer in Udina's nose told him what he needed.

"I know _of_ the illusive man." His glass across his chest. "I know that he's the sponsor behind Shepard's mission."

"What's your opinion of him?"

Udina drained his glass. "Officially, my opinion is that he's the leader of a vigilante semi-terrorist organization responsible for several attacks on both alliance and citadel ships. As well as a number of other of other offences. . ."

Eisenmus stared silently, asking the unspoken question.

"Unofficially however. . . He's one of the only people with power in the galaxy that actually gives a damn about humanity as a whole, separate from the commands of the citadel. Unsurprisingly. . .the rest of the council don't like that."

"Do you? You're part of the council too, Udina."

"Only to better serve the interests of the human race! To have our voice heard on the galactic stage, to access the resources of the other council races for humanity's betterment. It was the only viable option."

"Why couldn't mankind isolate yourself from the council? Be free of their influence?"

"I've been on this council long enough to know the one thing the greatest authority in the galaxy fears. . . is a rival authority. They wouldn't permit humanity's expansion through the relays, which they control. The relays are our only way off Earth. Even then, if they deemed us getting too big, too uncontrollable, they'd find some excuse or another to arrive at earth's doorstep with a fleet. You need only look at history to know hose these things are done."

Eisenmus agreed with that statement. "I've read about this in my time here. Relay gate travel is dependant on Eezo?"

"Aye, the most valuable substance in the universe. Above all else, the eezo must flow!"

"Every race uses this? There is no other option for FTL?"

"Yes. . ." Udina trailed off, guessing where this was going. "But you don't use it do you?"

The inquisitor shook his head. "We use something that we call warp travel. From what I've read, it's slower than the instantaneous mass relays. . but it can be used anywhere, no eezo required."

Udina leaned forward. "Do you know how it works?"

Eisenmus shook his head. "Throne, no. The principles of the archeotech that goes into making a warp drive are far, far beyond me."

"Shame." he pointed at him. "you want to give humanity an edge, you give us that warp drive!"

* * *

><p>In the spacious, back storage section of a high end clothing store, Agent Carson looked over the holomap on his omnitool. Dozens of live feeds were being fed directly into the map on his wrist, giving him a live feed of the surrounding area.<p>

His eyes followed the imitated curve of the Presidium ground. Displayed in a translucent orange. His deftly zoomed to the most important areas of the mission, namely the entrances and exits to the alliance embassy.

He keyed in his mic.

Second squad, what's your status?"

the reply came back with a slightly choppy audio, the consequence of custom encryption on the live feeds.

"Front entrance under surveillance. No signs of foreign activity."

"Understood." Carson acknowledged and turned back to the map. He zoomed out. Little markers displayed his various teams dotted around the mission area. Several were highlighted along the edge. They were off taking care of a few loose ends, rival agents still working in the operations area. His teams would have them cleared out soon enough.

The dots displayed formed a loose, but watertight circle of surveillance around the alliance embassy. To anyone else, nothing was going on. But to those who knew, there were men and women walking and laughing about the Praesidium fully armed and ready for combat at a moments notice. All hiding in plain sight.

All of them, their subtle attentions focusing on the embassy. Who's going in? Who's coming out? What's being delivered? Their messages, conversation?

Whatever was in that embassy, the Shadow Broker wanted to know everything he could and it was Carson's job to figure it out.

* * *

><p>As the Praesidium entered its night cycle, there were those who remained awake.<p>

The glass of asari blue was half drained. Councillor Tevos saw her hand was clasped around it. She had just poured it, hadn't she? She wasn't sure, what time was it?

Just then the darkness outside told her what she needed to know. She groaned and checked her clock anyway. She groaned again.

Well, it would be another night in the Presidium apartment, she thought. Like all councillors they had living quarters just off from their workplaces. Running the galaxy can be a pretty full time job, not suited for those with any sort of family life.

Her office buzzer rang. Half Dazed, she looked up.

"Come in" she said, quickly hiding the glass. The door opened and Sparatus entered.

"Sparatus," she said with relief. The glass come out again. "Please sit."

He sat, his eye found his way to her glass.

"Don't suppose you've got anything I can drink?"

Tevos grinned. "Sorry, We just ran out today. We're getting more stuff in tomorrow."

He waved his hand, "Doesn't matter. I'm glad I'm not the only one still up at this hour."

She took another drink. "How's your Volus scandal going?"

He shrugged. "Going well. The guy probably did it, but they've got no evidence save for a witness who was too jacked up on stimms to tell his left hand from his right."

"mmm" Tevos sipped another.

"How's your new project coming along?"

"I don't know. I'm supposed to be meeting these people in. . . ." she glanced at her clock. "10 hours . . . but I know next to nothing about them."

"I thought that was what the meeting was for .." Sparatus joked.

She rose to the obvious bait. "The more you learn about people before you meet them means that you can get better concessions out of them in the negotiation table. Though I wouldn't expect a turian to understand. Better to just point your gun at shoot."

Spartus shifted. "Listen Tevos. I am in no way trying to tell you how you should go about this, but we need the location of their homeworld. Without this fact. Any show of force on our end is meaningless. They can just come and go as they please."

Tevos smiled, "A through and through turian. Expecting the worst."

"Not expecting, planning. We don't need another incident like humanity. Despite what the rest of the galaxy thinks, we've learned from it. Taken a leaf out of the salarian's book. Before anything else, we need to know the extent of their civilization before we decide on our diplomatic angle."

"I've had people trying to find anything on the extranet. See if anyone like them's crept up over the years. Nothing."

Sparatus steepled his hands. "The alliance is keeping this pretty quiet. It might be they've opened another relay?"

Tevos' brow furrowed. "They wouldn't try anything that reckless. I wouldn't put it past the krogan, but not humanity. They've been trying very hard not to step on anyone's toes. . ."

"_IF_ they didn't then it must have been these newcomers. Think about it. We know nothing about them, so they must have come from a relay in alliance space."

Tevos considered this, knowing where the turian was going…

"Even if the humans didn't activate the relay. . " he continued. "They told us nothing of their activation. Hell, they could've known about these aliens for months for all we know."

It was a possibility, Tevos conceded, but not a very likely one. More likely the alliance would have revealed their new guests to the citadel in exchange for some diplomatic brownie points.

"I don't think the alliance could have afforded to keep something like that a secret." she said. "The risks of exposure would have been colossal."

The turian sat still, sighed, then nodded. "We'll see what tomorrow brings then. Goodnight Tevos, don't stay up too long."

"Goodnight, Sparatus." she said as the turian left the room.

* * *

><p>Valern sat at his desk, the monitors in front of him streamed info from dozens of points across his contact network. One of them showed the new arrivals to the citadel, these eldar.<p>

He looked at the repeating image of them standing before the council, he saw himself, standing on one of the pedestals in the chamber.

It was like humanity all over again, he thought. He had recalled the excitement and wonder that had surrounded humans when they had first arrived in citadel space.

The fear as well. . .

Truth be told, he found it hard to tell the difference between these newcomers and humans, but then again, everyone said all humans look the same anyway.

His attention focussed on another screen, somewhat less crowded with program windows. It was stupid, he thought. Like anything new and exotic, hang it in front of everyone's face and they forget about everything else.

Like who the others that Shepard was travelling with? Valern prided himself on having one of the most widespread and intensive intelligence networks anywhere in the galaxy. Nothing happened without him knowing.

He had run background checks in everyone Shepard was with. Miss Lawson, Jacob Taylor, the turian Garrus Vakarian, Mordin Solus. . .

The last one had been a surprise, he hadn't seen Mordin in years.

Overnight, the pair of eldar dominated news headlines, talk shows, discussion groups and think tanks across citadel space. Like everything else, it was a fad. A phase that the public gobbled up every few months before passing into obscurity. For something that captured as much of the public eye as this, even his own intelligence networks were outdone by the collective hive mind of billions of curious people. Answers would come crawling to him from the woodwork. He need only wait to know the Eldar.

He was curious about another question, the less obvious, the less shiny question. Those are the questions everyone overlooks and thus their answers are the least known. Which makes the answers, valuable.

It was the most pressing question then, why were there other humans with Shepard who he didn't know about, they weren't even in the alliance's electoral or census databases?

The enemy you know. . .

And why, he wondered, was one so implanted with cybernetic enhancements that he resembled a YMIR combat mech with extra limbs?

* * *

><p>Lirra ran. Lirra ran as hard as she could. She risked a glance behind her. Nothing, just the Presidium promenade. Several confused bystanders looked her way as she barrelled past them.<p>

She bolted down a small corridor between two buildings. A protest from behind her told her she'd ran into someone on the way through. She navigated through the structure, ignoring protests by employees.

Back exit! She saw the symbol above the door. She clasped the door and threw her weight behind it. It was an oddity, using a manual door on the citadel, but she didn't stop to think.

Her head crests ached from where she hit it but that was the least of her worries. She now emerged out behind the stores facing the Presidium promenade, into the dirtier, less organised world those prancing about the Presidium rarely see.

It was enclosed on either side, but open to the 'sky'. On her right was the rear faces of the promenade structures, on her left was a surface that belonged to the citadel itself, not the structures that came after when they arrived. She wondered briefly what was on the other side of the wall, before realizing it was probably a step up to another level of the Praesidium terrace landscape.

She drew her gun, there were no civilians around. No one to see her. She put her hand to her head. Goddess, it hurt like hell. No time for that now, keep going! she thought.

* * *

><p>Eleiyra had watched through her visor magnifier the strange case below. One if the blue aliens was fleeing from several others of various races. To the untrained eye, the chase would have been invisible, but Eleiyra knew hunters and hunted when she saw it.<p>

She wouldn't take any part, but would instead observe this strange event taking place. She watched as the blue alien ran into a large complex. Eleiyra waited but she didn't exit. Later the others moved into the building.

Minutes passed, then the hunters emerged from the building carrying a large square crate. It looked like the prey was caught after all.

She turned her attention away and started wandering along the paths of this place, in plain sight yet invisible. She had surely established that these people couldn't see through her cloak as she moved among them, silently as the wind. She observed them, followed them.

It wasn't the first time she was struck with how strange this place was. The farseer had given her no other orders other than remain close at hand. Over the last few days she had ventured down to what the natives called 'the lower wards'. But it was much the same as here, through any layman could tell that this area was for the most affluent and privileged members of the station.

Despite this, she could feel the ranger growing stronger and stronger within her. Here was something new, undiscovered. She had travelled the stars for centuries back in her own time, but had grown tired of wandering and returned to the craftworld.

It didn't suit her. The titanic and expansive halls were tiny and claustrophobic. She had completed circles if the great worldship, hoping to convince herself of its size and magnitude. It only reinforced her perception of how small it was. Despite its enormity, it was still dwarfed by the endless blackness of space outside it.

She was aware if the parallel she found herself in now.

While wandering she had had time to think, the farseer had explained to her that the galaxy now was a much younger version of the one they left. That is was currently sometime before the fall. Eleiyra was young, and had been born after. She had only been told stories of the galaxy before the fall. Of the instantaneous travel the great webway had provided.

The webway. . .

The farseer claimed she could not sense the webway anymore. That it was closed to her.

But one thing she did know, this was a time before the birth if she who thirsts. Both her and the farseer no longer felt that vague insidious pull that all eldar felt.

This was possibly the biggest change to Eleiyra since she arrived. All her short life she had been trained to keep the barriers up, to resist the pull of the voices inside her mind.

Here though, there was nothing to resist. . .

The farseer had commanded against it, but Eleiyra had let her barriers lower for a short time while wandering the lower wards. To the other races, Eldar appear aloof and calculating. But that is only an illusion, kept in place by themselves to avoid the pitfalls of heavy emotion. Eldar feel like any other race, but by the curse of the fall, they must restrict themselves, lest they begin corrupted by their own nature. It was why the eldar are such great psychers, they could draw from a deeper well of emotion that the stuff of the empyrean consisted of.

While her barriers had dropped she felt the waves of emotion emanating from those around her. The psychic nature of all eldar meant that they are greatly more in tune with the emotion if those around them.

When they were down. . . By Isha, when they were down. . .

This station seethed emotion and passion from every bulkhead. Laughter, greed, awe, intrigue. She sensed them all. She felt as she had never before. Absorbing, experiencing the universe around her. She swore she could have felt the great station rotating beneath her feet.

She had re-erected the barriers shortly after. She knew such a risk she was taking. Since then, the barriers had stayed.

But the feeling remained. . . the feeling that all eldar must have felt before the fall. She was no farseer, but she could almost feel the exquisite energies of the universe flowing around her. She hadn't felt anything like it.

As she wandered she mused. Her mind got distracted and wandered to places it shouldn't. She endeavoured to check with the farseer again, if they truly were in a time before the fall. . . then the barriers weren't necessary, right?

She sent the thought scurrying as soon as it popped up. The barriers did more than that! To neglect would risk damnation. . .

But all that was said after the fall. . .

She shook her head. Grasping for a distraction she vaulted up the nearest building, grasping onto supports and ledges for purchase. She reached the top, flipped onto the adjacent buildings and began running. Hoping that these thoughts were be left behind.

* * *

><p>Glaedara felt grass. Soft, virgin wild grass. It came up to her waist and blew in the breeze. It was faded green turning yellow. The colours of nature before the ice grip of winter. Overhead, although there was light enough to be day, the black sky revolved overhead, too quickly for any planet's rotation. The silver specks of stars glistened and gleamed against the pitch black backdrop.<p>

She could not make out any of the constellations known to her. Unknown stars trailing across an unknown sky. . .

The horizon seemed to stretch on to infinity. She gasped as she was engulfed in a sense of emptiness. Deep and yawning.

In the far distance, she could make out a figure. She began to walk. Despite the figure being miles away she crossed the distance in mere steps. As she drew closer, she recognised the features of the human, Shepard.

The stars continued their hasty revolve above. Without acknowledging Glaedara, the Shepard figure looked up. A blank stare to the sky. Glaedara followed her gaze. The stars had gone, and shapes, blacker than the black of space moved in the void. Glaedara didn't know what they were, but could feel the menace emanating off of them.

They moved slowly, but purposefully. Some forming groups of ultimate piercing blackness while others drifted back and forth between the groups. There was a terrible feeling of co-ordination. Like a flock of birds or fish. . . A single minnow may dart this way and that, but the school moved as one.

The autumn grass had disappeared, replaced with void. Below her, the galaxy turned. Listless in its beauty. But something was wrong. The Shepard woman looked down at it and the screaming started. Powerful and raw.

The galaxy began to scream. The blast of raw emotion swept over the farseer. She wept uncontrollably for the grief and suffering happening down below. She fought to stay focussed, there was more.

She looked back to Shepard, now suddenly dressed in her full armour. Her arm was covered in blood. It fell in drips from her fingers, each drop spiralling down to the galaxy below. It pulsed with a life of its own. Red, primal, full of life.

From behind her, a figure emerged. Glaedara turned to look, tears still streaming down her cheeks. To her shock it was an eldar. A dire avenger. Glaedara tried to call out to him but the warrior took no notice. As it passed her, Glaedara felt another stab of disappointment. This was no true eldar, merely an image, a shadow meant for her to see. Even in prophecy and truesight, true eldar gave off a light that marked them out in the mist. For the eldar lifeforce was linked to even possible futures and pasts, their existence no less real because something has the mere chance of happening.

The warrior past her and drew level with the Shepard figure. It stood as she did, staring up at the black abyss.

Glaedara looked round as she noticed more figures emerging from the void around them. Next came a howling banshee, trailing her blades across the ground that was not there. Then a striking scorpion, next a warp spider, materializing in a flash of eldritch energy alongside the rest of the group.

One by one they came, until all aspects of the way of the warrior were joined with Shepard figure. There was more blood dripping from her hand.

The screaming intensified.

They showed no interest in Glaedara. She drew closer with them, wanting to get a closer look. As she did so, behind her a storm whipped up and reality tore itself apart. Only a wide circle of reality remained around the gathering. Beyond was nothingness, an endless abyss. The circle began to close, the figures kept looking up oblivious to creation crashing down around them.

She was drawn closer, so that she was now standing level with the group. The circle had closed so that only this spot remained, in all creation, only this spot stood strong against the chaos of the surroundings. The spatial wind whipped at her robe. Her hair flew about her, getting in her eyes. She held it back, the noise was deafening.

A deep dark drone or rumble echoed in her mind. Like a cosmic horn or bellow.

The farseer exhaled, and opened her eyes.

Her room came into view around her. A small suite with only the spartan necessities.

She was shaking, still wracked by the emotional overload. Her face was wet from where tears had streamed down her cheeks. It was dangerous to get so emotional when in the empyrean, but she hadn't been prepared for it, the shock was so great and sudden. And she'd been desperate, the blinding fog of the imperial trinket would be returning soon. The promise of finally her sight returning even briefly was too much to resist.

She'd been very lucky. . .

She wiped her face and uncrossed her legs. She was already enacting the breathing cycles required to bring her down from such a level of awareness. Minutes past as felt her heart rate settling down.

"What is it, Eleiyra?" she asked the empty room. Behind her, by the door, the ranger decloaked.

"You had a vision, farseer?"

The farseer turned. The ranger stood, cross armed. She wasn't wearing her helmet anymore, Glaedara noted. Her hood was pulled back too, the ranger's jet black hair spilled down over her shoulders.

She stared into the eyes of the ranger, expressing her sheer incredulity at so stupid and obvious a question. The ranger realised the error.

"My apologies, farseer. What I meant was, was your vision insightful into the path we should take?"

Glaedara managed to stand and get over to the chair and desk at the side of the room. She fell into it.

"This Shepard woman." she began. "She is critical to everything."

The ranger stood up, alert. She remained silent for the farseer to continue.

"There is something going on Eleiyra. . .Something dark, and hidden. I do not know what. But whatever it is, it will destroy the galaxy if it's allowed to." she rubbed her hands together, she could feel the thin layer of sweat on them.

"And you think this Shepard woman is somehow crucial in this regard?"

Glaedara nodded. "I believe so, I saw her stood alongside the aspect exarchs. With her bearing the bloody hand of Khaine."

Eleiyra nodded. Processing.

"Other aspect exarchs?. . . Could that mean then. ."

"No. They were only shades meant for me to see. There was no life behind them."

The ranger visibly slumped. The farseer felt the same. If they had the spark of eldar life within them in her vision, then they might be out there somewhere. As it stood however, they were only projections, shades in a dream.

"Our path is with her. Eleiyra. I do not where it will lead, know why or how, but there is a menace that will destroy all, us included if we stray from the path."

"Did you see any others, beside the avatars of the exarchs?" the farseer heard yearning through in the tone. Glaedara shook her head.

"I am sorry, Eleiyra, I couldn't sense any of our kin."

The ranger nodded. The farseer buried her head in her hands. She still reeled from the emotional onslaught. "I need time to fully process what I saw. Come back later, and I will tell you my thoughts.

The ranger nodded silently and took her leave. The farseer leant on the desk, she looked out the window. Outside it was dark. How long was she in the vision, she thought to herself. The lights of the other buildings glimmered in the landscape.

Like stars on a black sky. . .

She was tired, she needed rest. She made her way over to the bed and removed the outer segments of her armour and robes and lay on the bed. There, lying on top of the bed covers in an empty darkened room, she began to meditate on what she saw.

* * *

><p>In contrast to the grand reception that the eldar had received when they first arrived, this interview was much less formal.<p>

Held in one of best briefing rooms the Presidium had to offer, it was nonetheless a far cry from the grand space of the main council chamber.

Tevos sat. She was nervous. Her predecessor had initiated contact with humanity, widely regarded, for good or ill, by the public as one of the more successful integrations of a new species into galactic society. She had a lot to live up to.

She'd ordered the decorations for the room herself. She knew it was too late to second guess herself now but she couldn't help feeling something was missing. She'd studied these newcomers rigorously since their brief introduction yesterday. Their grace was unparalleled. Just judging from the scant pieces of clothing they wore she could already see that any attempt to dazzle or impress them with ornamentation or otherwise would have been futile. The room reflected this. Only comfortable, well made chairs and tables made any appearance apart from the lone, large banner of the citadel council behind her. To her right was a wall of glass overlooking the Praesidium. She hoped this would convey the impression of honesty and transparency that she wanted it to.

The doors to the room opened and Tevos snapped back to attention. Through the hatch she could see the turian Garrus, one of Shepard's men. He moved to one side as his guest of honour came after him. She wore the same clothing she had worn whenever she had first met with the council. Dark blue and silver dominated her attire, but in the centre of her chest, almost heart-like, was a stone that shone with almost inner radiance.

Only now, at this distance, could Tevos truly appreciate the craftsmanship that had went into her garments. Needle threads of silver wound their way around her armour segments. The deep blue possessed subtly different hues that melded with each other.

This was before she got to the eldar herself. Asari biology and reproduction worked in the subconscious weighing up and evaluation of a potential partner's genetic code. The better genes the subject has determines how physically attractive an asari finds them, though other factors such as wealth, power, personality and humour also contribute a large factor.

To contrast, eldar genes were derived from the guided evolution by one of the wisest and most intelligent races the galaxy has ever known. The 'genetic rubbish' that accompanies natural evolution has no place in the eldar genecode. Everything serves a purpose. Everything fits perfectly, nothing is wasted.

To contemporary human standards, Glaedara would have been a very slender, very attractive woman with slightly elongated ears. To the unique sensory system of an asari, she was the peak of physical perfection.

Tevos watched the goddess made flesh sit at the other end of the table. She fought her desires, she didn't get to this position without will. She smiled in greeting.

"Glaedara, it is a pleasure to meet you. You may remember me from our earlier introduction. My name is councillor Tevos of the citadel council."

The eldar nodded her head. "Yes. I remember. If I may ask, what is the purpose of my being here?"

Tevos was quick to answer. That painfully melodic voice had returned. Tevos had wished to hear it again ever since leaving the council room. "We in the citadel council are always excited and eager to meet new and unknown species, like yourselves. " she gestured with open palms. "we want nothing more than to learn and cooperate. The exchange of ideas and cultures has always been a cornerstone of our philosophy and it has made us the rich and vibrant civilization we are now."

Glaedara smiled in response, "Yes, we desire friendship with the races of the citadel as well." The asari need not know that the 'we' only referred to herself and Eleiyra.

"That is good to hear." Tevos said. "Are you able to speak on behalf of your race?" If not, we'll send for someone who can," and learn the location of your civilization. . . . Glaedara added mentally.

"I am" she replied. This was true. As a farseer she had the authority to speak for the craftworld. That the craftworld wasn't here, was beside the point.

"Excellent!" _Damn_, "then we can get straight under way."

* * *

><p>The door opened and Tevos walked through, Councillor Sparatus was present in the far room. He sat next to the refreshments table, he was reading something on his datapad.<p>

She shot him a questioning look, he shrugged.

"My meeting with Valern ended sooner than I planned. I've just been catching up on other things. "

Tevos joined him by the table with the window seat. She poured a glass for herself.

"Well? Did you get it?"

"That bitch is as stubborn as they come!" she spat. Goddess, she's attractive though. . .she added inwardly.

The turian's face contorted. "I take it you were unsuccessful?"

"By the goddess, of course I was unsuccessful!" she cursed at him, "I've spent the past four hours trying to squeeze blood from stone in there." she gestured back where she came. "She won't give anything."

"Was there any progress?"

"Aside from," Tevos made air-quotes. "The continued friendship of our two peoples, no, none. She didn't even give a hint at how many systems they've spread to!"

"We have other wa. ."

"Goddess no," she paused. Knowing what 'other ways' to Turians meant. Took another sip. "This could be a Gissa Trap for all we know."

"I've heard of that before, an asari thing? I can't remember the specific."

"On Thessia, way back when, during our age of sail. One city state wanted to know the intentions and traits of another, recently discovered on another continent. They sent an agent to be implanted in their society. There she stayed for months, learning all she could before returning and warning her homeland that the newly discovered civlization was exploitative and tyrannical. As such, her home state was well prepared on the second contact.

"So this eldar could be what? Testing us?"

Tevos shrugged. "Could be. It may explain why we haven't seen any other of them. She could be the advance agent. Sent to test our reaction."

Sparatus nodded. "I'll keep an eye on her then," then held up a hand whenever Tevos protested, "But don't worry, I'll make no move on her. If your idea is right, sooner or later she'll run into her own kind again."

Tevos nodded, agreeing with the logic. "I will continue with the negotiations. If only on a lighter scale. A few years, decades from now. We'll have what we want."

"You will." Sparatus joked, "I'll be long retired by then."

"That's what I mean." she set her glass down. "I have the time, and patience," . .goddess the patience. . . "You don't and I'm willing to bet neither does she."

She paused for a second, considering if she should tell him. She decided it was the logical choice, if nothing else, she'd rack up a few points with the turians. "Sparatus, I need your help with something."

The turian cocked his head, "That's unusual." he said, seeing the serious look on her face.

"I need someone outside the asari command structure."

"This doesn't sound good." He looked round, as if discovering the room for the first time. "Why am I gathering that helping you debrief from the negotiation wasn't the reason you asked me here?"

Tevos shook her head. "Yesterday, several asari agents were killed while on missions, right here!" she pointed to the floor, "In the heart of the citadel!"

Sparatus' face went dark, "Scouting the alliance embassy?" he asked.

Her face turned to shock, "How did you? . ."

"A couple of our own agents were also killed, gathering information. Strict no contact stuff. Minimal risk. We suspected a security leak."

"Whatever it is, it's affected us as well. All agents we sent to the area turned up missing or killed." she folded her arms. "This is serious, Sparatus."

He nodded gravely. "Something's going on here. What about the salarians?"

"Haven't heard from them. Which means one of two things, they've found something major, or something's gone wrong with them as well."

Sparatus leaned foreward. Thinking of the next move. Intelligence wasn't his speciality., but he was councillor and such responsibility for the Turian presence on the citadel.

He made a decision. It pained him that he couldn't trust his own offices. The men he trusted completely, but computers and machines have no loyalty circuits. . "We need to talk with Valern. We need to get STG on this."

* * *

><p>Braille sat in his quarters. A large suite of rooms situated right in the heart of his vessel. With entire sectors of the Hegemony to govern, it was more effective for him (and more secure) if he had his own base of operations separate from the standard bases of planetary authority. He thumbed the controls on his desk and brought up this week's reports in his sector. Nothing spectacular. He closed it again.<p>

His screen bleeped. Good, he was expecting this. He relayed it through to the holo-projector in the centre of his room. The projection fizzed to life with a faint blue transparency, a figure in heavy blue suns armour. The figure turned his head and scanned the room. His stare found the baron, his arms crossed.

"Baron, always a pleasure."

"Braille" he replied to the blue suns commander. He rose from his chair and stood in front of the commander.

Unlike many others, the baron respected the commander. Here was a man that got things done. Here was an equal, not a trivial thing for one of the aristocracy to say.

"You have a job for me?"

The baron nodded, "A well payed one." He reached for his datapad and thumbed the button that sent the commander the information. Something bleeped on the commander's hologram and he retrieved his own from his waist. He opened it, grunted.

"Shepard?" he looked at the baron. "What interest is she to you?"

Barc's fist clenched unconsciously, "She killed my son, Braille. Murdered him on his own ship."

The captain's face turned into a scowl. "Well, we won't bother bringing the stun guns for this one." he put the pad away. "The bitch is as good as dead. You've my word on that."

The baron nodded and transferred the first payment. The commander checked this on his pad and nodded his head.

"Everything's in order. She'll be dead by the end of the week."

"There's a bonus if they can't find her head." the Baron sneered.

The commander smiled, "Well, you know me, Barc. I get passionate about my work."

The blue hologram disappeared and the room once again settled back to its yellow white hue. Baron Barc walked back round to his desk and sat down. He punched the table and grinned.

Justice was finally being done. . . .

* * *

><p>The magos stood, motionless in the middle of the room. His cognitive processes turned inwards.<p>

The statue of the Primarch Sanguinius. . . .

He had analysed it, recorded it. ..

He had searched for it on their extranet.

He strode through the digital spaces of the extranet. An honour guard of his most efficient and loyal programs surrounded him.

He sought down data routes and feeds. . .sending out search inquiries to the other sections of the the network for anything resembling imperial iconography. Hundreds of thousands of images, texts and audio logs were sent out ( as much as it displeased him to do it ) in the hopes of finding a match.

He'd trawled up all he could find about the statue itself.

The xenos Eisenmus had spoken to had told the truth. . . no one knew the precise origins of the statue. . .only that it was here on the citadel when the asari arrived.

This galactic history made for some very interesting reading, a lesson in the folly of embracing the knowledge of a xenos race for your own culture. . .

The protheans, as the records called them, were responsible for nearly all this surrounding him. The races that now occupied their structures and worlds were mere scavengers. . . unable to achieve the great heights of technology themselves, they stole and pillaged xenotech for their own use. . .and as a consequence stagnated. . .

While the brief millennia and a half history of the council races was a short span in comparison to the glorious history of the imperium, Hakkon could see the route of stagnation.

Another hour of drifting through the extranet turned up nothing, then a ping in one of his digital seeker hounds. He brought it up, one of the earliest he'd sent. Sent to independently worm its way in search of information. He welcomed its spirit back. It was ragged, and worn, the digital residue of the extranet was infused in it. It would have to be cleansed of the impure code after its mission was done.

Muttering in binary in honour of the Omnissiah, he opened its information files.

His head twitched as his attention was immediately caught. "Omnissiah Preserve Us" he vocalised unknowingly as he made the sign of the cog.

His greater processing power immediately turned to the new information. He engaged ancillary drives to store the contents in their pure, unaltered form. he didn't want anything to go amiss. The low whirr of additional drives being spooled up hummed through the room.

The seeker hound had been sent out to look for anything else of imperial origin, objects, words, phrases, anything that could be linked to the imperium.

It was a snippet of a transmission, recorded over 300 years ago in a section of space called the Ghost Nebula. Hakkon quickly searched for information on the area on his other processors. It may give him some context.

The transmission was garbled, and short. But what was important. . .was that it was low gothic. . . using imperial radio frequencies.

The xenos had put it down as an unknown language. They would have had to, it didn't last long enough to provide sufficient information for an effective translation.

The copying process was almost complete. He made to leave, making a beeline to the door. His mechadendrites following him. They appeared animated, their spirits must sense the importance of the find! He'd have to get Eisenmus immediately. This was critical. Somewhere in this Ghost Nebula. . .there was something imperial!

'The ghost nebula' he scanned from his other digital tendrils 'travellers and space-farers have reported strange transmissions and energy signatures within the nebula. Despite several forays by intrepid explorers. . nothing has ever been found. Only the ' voice of the nebula' as it has been called, leaving some to speculate a more supernatural origin to the signals.'

A voice it was, thought the Magos as he finished copying it. Satisfied, he departed his quarters, his mechadendrites still twitching with some unknown sense, his internal diagnostics recorded the chemical hallmarks of excitement, but this was a minor curiosity to the electronic-protein mass that consisted his original, organic brain.

He replayed the message over and over, subjecting it to every scan he knew, trying to get any extra fidelity out of the static.

". . . This is li . . .eant Ifrau, s . . . tioned o . . .hant . . .shi . . .be . . . pus. If . . .ae is out there, we nee . . .ncy assistance. . . .s failed, only a . . . . s of rations. . . .se, if any us! Th . . .ror protects!. . . ."

* * *

><p>The shadow broker sat, fingers steepled at the mass of monitors in front of him. His agents were reporting in from across the Presidium.<p>

It had been an interesting day, a great many of the galaxy's intelligence agencies were interested in these new arrivals in the embassy.

He brought his hand up and a new window came into view on the main monitor, secondary viewports surrounded the primary window. He ignored them. Instead, he saw through one of the many camera eyes his agents had inserted around the embassy a picture of a human and a turian standing on one of the embassy's balconies. He zoomed in the picture so that the figures took up the whole screen. He observed them.

This information would be invaluable soon, he thought, now that all the other agencies had been eliminated from play. Like all other commodities, if you controlled the supply you controlled the price. The great and noble intelligence agencies of the galaxy were not above coming to him for information. In many cases if was usually cheaper for them than sending in their own agents to verify. . .

The turian he knew, simple face recognition had identified him as the turian Garrus Vakarian. He thought it strange that Arkangel should now be standing in the human embassy on the Praesidium.

The human however. . .

The shadow broker took great interest in the human. His garb mimicked that of the alliance. Plain clothes with smart trousers and boots. There were other things hung from his waist, but what entrapped the shadow broker's attention was a symbol, more specifically a trinket stylised in the shape of a human I.

The shadow broker had seen this symbol before. . .

He sat back, he brought a hand up to his face as he digested the information.

Could it was possible. . .that this man could have simply found another trinket. . .like the rest. . but there was also an alternative. . . .

He relayed instruction to his agents in the field. He had yet to make an independent sighting of the eldar woman - Glaedara. She had remained very secretive, staying to his knowledge within the confines of the embassy.

That was fine, the shadow broker thought. . . he was patient. . .


	10. Dinner and Deployment

_Author's Note: 100,000 words! I'd like to thank everyone who gave their reviews, it's been very good to get all your opinions and hear about the little details that I missed in writing._

_I'm very curious to hear your opinions on what direction the story's going. I've got a good rough framework of the plot lines for the characters but I want to hear where you think it's going. (Basically, I want to know if what you're thinking is what I want the story to make you think where it's going, if that makes any sense at all! If it is, huzzah, we got ourselves a successful story. If not, well that's why I need your input.) As always, overly critical reviews are the best, but all input is very appreciated and welcome!_

_Many thanks once again, now let's get this to 200,000!_

_EDIT: there was a section that didn't seem to make it from final draft to the doc manager. It's back thanks to the keen eye of Lord Anime! Thanks again, man _

* * *

><p>The Citadel welcomed back the Normandy with its long open arms. The small craft was soon lost in the thousands of other twinkling lights that shot on thrusters through the void. It closed in on the station, towards the docking area.<p>

Once secured and firmly within he embrace of the station, its passengers were reunited once again. The Council had decreed that the new species called 'Eldar' remain on the Citadel for several days to establish the first dialogue of negotiations.

Those days were over, thought Glaedara as she strode along one of the docking decks the station possessed. A great space of crude construction and clumsy angles. Ships of the like she'd never seen were tied to their clamps both left and right of her. Ahead of her though, was the one she recognised.

Even without seeing she knew this was the ship. With its return came the Imperial Sigil and the blinding light it poured out. It wasn't what she wanted, to fly so close to a veil made of pure psychic light, but she seen what she needed to on the citadel. Hers and Eleiyra's place was with the human woman Shepard.

Glaedara could see the human now, standing at the top of the boarding ramp, greeting those that had remained on this station. She looked no different to the farseer. Still the same short, stumpy, red haired monkeigh that she had first seen in the ruins of the imperial temple.

But the visions cannot lie. They simply show, they can conceal. . yes, but never reveal falsehoods.

The alien Garrus was taking to the commander. She couldn't hear what, the heavy sounds of the hangar drowned out any other noise. He said something and she laughed, then he turned into the boarding ramp, bound for the ship.

The Imperials followed. The machine one simply nodded and continued on down the ramp without hesitation or delay. The inquisitor stopped and said a few words to the commander, who nodded and smiled. She does that a lot, Glaedara thought.

The inquisitor turned down the path leaving only the farseer. Eleiyra had long ago snuck around her and into the tunnel without detection.

The Shepard woman turned to her and smiled. There it is again, thought the farseer.

"Were the Council easy on you?" her head slightly to one side.

The farseer returned the smile, "It was no difficulty. Their questions were straightforward."

"Huh, you sure we're talking about the same people?"

"I assume so." the farseer kept her voice level.

Shepard paused for a moment, "You're absolutely sure you want to remain with us?"

Glaedara looked at her, her vision clear in her mind, the Eldar place was with Shepard. "Shepard, you were the one promised to help us on that planet, not anyone else. You were the one that gave us passage on your ship when you didn't need to." a pause, "We're with you, Shepard. No one else."

The woman nodded. The statement seemed to serve its purpose. The farseer thought it best not to reveal to the woman her vision just yet. Better to approach her from the altruistic angle.

"Welcome aboard once again then, Glaedara. Your quarters are just where you left them. Glad to have you back."

The farseer bowed her head and moved into the ramp.

"Hold on!" Shepard called, "Where's Eleiyra? I thought she was with you?"

Glaedara smiled, "She's already on board."

"Really?" Shepard scratched her cheek,"I didn't see her. . ."

* * *

><p>The Normandy traced its path through the galaxy towards the Tasale system. Travel between worlds was almost entirely getting from world to relay and then from relay to world. So even when the Normandy dropped out of the Tasale relay bound for Ilium, there was still hours left before they arrived.<p>

"You can thank our great and glorious leader for this meal." Gardner yelled out across the mess hall. "Stole it right out from under the noses of politicians. Eat up!"

The mess hall counter was stuffed with containers, each with their own mesmerising aroma. The smell had drifted through the crew deck, finding its way into corners and compartments where it had no right to be.

It had been Gardner's idea and Shepard had requisitioned the materials. Before leaving the Citadel she'd sent for a good number of food items from the Citadel stores. This was hugely popular with the crew. All of whom surviving on glorified field rations for the past month.

"Gardner, you've outdone yourself you son of a bitch." Donnelly said. The red haired, Scottish engineer smiled as he retrieved a healthy amount of chicken from the counter. He kept reaching.

"He means thank you." Engineer Daniels slapped Kenneth's hand away from a fourth piece of chicken. "Kenneth, stop being greedy!" The short, dark haired woman stared down the man.

"But it smells so good." He brought the plate up to his nose and sniffed theatrically. "And this could be a once in a lifetime event Gabby. . .Rupert making an edible meal. . I've got to seize the opportunity!"

Gardner lifted his hands in a mocking holy gesture. A dozen food stains were splashed across his apron. A grin on his face and ladle in hand. "Come all ye faithful, and eat while it's hot." He turned to see the newest person at the counter. "Hayt! Good to see you, come! eat! It's the best meal you'll have had on this ship. We pillaged the Citadel larders heavily, but even this won't last forever."

The stormtrooper approached the counter. Gardner had met him a couple of times before. Gardner liked him. Good mannered and didn't foul-mouth his cooking.

"I'm not one to pass up a good meal." the stormtrooper helped himself to several portions of each.

Shepard approached from behind the stormtrooper, datapad in hand. She was sick of looking at it and was eyeing the veritable feast with a hungry look.

"Shepard!" Gardner exclaimed, "The woman of the hour. You've made quite a few friends this evening!"

She smiled and started picking her items from the counter. Some made it to her mouth before they even reached the plate.

Sure, she had her own cabin and could order her meals sent there if she wanted but she preferred to eat with the crew whenever she could. The team needs a leader, she had thought inwardly. And a leader who hides in their luxurious loft cabin isn't a leader worth following. . .

"Good to see you're putting the Citadel produce to use," she pointed down at her meal, "This is really good by the way!"

A grin spread across the old grey man's face. "What you're eating Shepard, is art! And art needs quality ingredients or it's shit art. I made real sure everyone knows who got them." his voice full of pride.

"You keep cooking like this, I'll see what else I can get for you." She scooped up another bite from her tray.

"I hear that Shepard, you want people to follow you? There's no greater motivation than three hot meals a day, cooked by one of the finest chefs this side of the Presidium."

"Really?" Shepard asked, "You know this great chef? We could use him."

"Hah! Go on, get out of my kitchen. I got a dozen more hungry mouths to feed." he grinned and turned back to the waiting diners, "Right, who's next?"

* * *

><p>A few tables down, Jacob spied the Normandy's XO. Sitting alone, datapad in hand.<p>

"Miranda?" Jacob joked, pulling up a seat opposite her. "Sitting with the crew in the mess hall? Never thought I'd see the day."

She looked at him with a blank stare. She brushed some hair from her eyes "Don't get used to it Jacob, it's only temporary." she bit a piece. "Besides, I don't ignore good food."

"No, you don't. I've seen you go through those ration bars." He felt her glare. "I'm just saying, you look well for someone on five thousand calories a day."

She glared at him, "It's the biotics, you know that." her voice flat.

"Yeah, I know that. I spend more money than I should on just staving off hunger during the day."

"Is the crew performing as they should?" she asked. "We'll be coming up on a couple more potential. . .". Jacob shook his head

"Miranda. Stop working! For dinner at least. Worry about the mission after."

She sighed and put down the datapad. She picked up her fork and began skewering things on her plate.

"There, see? Much better." Jacob put a piece of food in his mouth. "What's been going on with you then? we haven't had much time since lazarus station."

She twirled a piece of food round on her tray. She didn't answer him.

"Miranda? You hear me?"

She looked up, leaned in, "Jacob, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, anything." he sensed something else behind the question.

"Just how important is this mission?" she looked at him.

"Uhh Miranda I. . ."

"Just answer the question."

"Uh, very important! Critically! Thousands of lives are at stake Miranda. Entire worlds!" he tried to figure out what she was getting at, "But you know this. . ."

She nodded. "I do." A pause, " So do you think Shepard needs as few distractions as possible?"

Jacob noticed her absent look, "Uhh. .yes. I think she would. Miranda, what are you asking? .." He couldn't even guess what she was getting at, her face was as impassive as ever.

Miranda sat without speaking, looking over to the commander. She was chatting to Gardner. She said something to the cook and the two of them burst into laughter.

She thought of her sister. . .the sister she'd tried to hide from her overly jealous father. Her sister, who was in danger of being captured and dragged back to his caged custody.

She weighed her personal plight against the countless thousands of colonists. The mental scales moved slowly, got stuck often, rebounded more than once but inevitably . . . inexorably, tilted in one direction.

Even a day spent on Oriana. . . could mean thousands of lives.

"Thanks Jacob." she said, her voice weak. She got up from the table, food barely eaten. "Its been good, really."

* * *

><p>"Yeah fucking right!" Zaeed exclaimed, pieces of food flew from mouth onto the table, "Go on, pull the other one, it's got bells on!"<p>

Hayt grinned. "Throne, I swear its the truth! Five kilometers, at least!" he added. He took a drink. "Sorry if your vessels are all pathetically tiny." he joked.

"What's this?" Shepard asked as she sat down. Zaeed and Hayt were laughing at each other. Of all the newcomers, Hayt was the one that interacted the most with the crew.

Or at least the one the crew most interacted with. Particularly the female portions. . . she'd already heard rumours of his morning laps of the cargo hold. And how some crewmembers just happened to be passing by the cargo observation port at five in the morning.

She set her tray of new and improved luxury citadel aristocrat rations in front of her and took a bite. She looked over to Hayt.

"Good to see you up and around Hayt, now what's so funny I was forced to come over here and find out?"

Zaeed gestured to Hayt, grin on his face. "His imperial stormtrooper here was telling me about the ship he was stationed on back in the future." he looked at Shepard. "Five kilometers long!" he shook his head. "I naturally called him a liar and a bastard. But he's not budging."

"Five kilometers?" Shepard exclaimed, she could scarcely conceive of a ship that size. Something that big would dwarf the destiny ascension!

The imperial nodded. "Aye, ma'am. Wasn't mine of course, it was Lord Eisenmus'."

Even here, even now, it's 'lord Eisenmus' Shepard was struck by still how little she knew about these people.

She could see the inquisitor from where she sat. It was rare to see him at the mess hall at mealtimes, he usually ate elsewhere. She'd asked him to make an exception today on account of the improved meal. He'd said he'd make it if he could, which pleased Shepard. It only occurred to her later to ask what else he could be doing that could cause him to miss it.

He sat alone at the far table, stooped over his tray. His silver beard rose and fell in time with his chewing. Frail, utensil bearing hands brought the food to his mouth. He was staring off into the mid distance. He'd changed out of his citadel clothes and into a Cerberus officer's uniform someone had evidently lent him. Black and silver, with his omnipresent I pendant hanging in front of his chest.

She felt a stab of pity. He looked smaller than before, older and more vulnerable. If Hayt was to be believed, this man had once commanded more resources than the entire asari fleet combined.

And now he sat there, alone at the empty table. Lost. Slowly chewing through one of Gardner's special meals out of a tray. . .

After Hayt and Zaeed, she resolved to go over.

"Is this the truth?" she asked, turning back to Hayt. "Or is Zaeed here right and I have to call you a liar and a bastard as well?" she grinned. Zaeed laughed.

"You're all right Shepard." Zaeed said. And took a drink out of a bottle he'd stashed under the table." Shepard wondered where he managed to get those from.

Hayt nodded his head."I swear by the Throne it's true. The Hibernis Rex. Ambition class cruiser. Technically it was the Merchant Prince's but it suited Eisenmus to commandeer it from time to time."

"Sorry . .. _Merchant Prince_?" Shepard asked.

Hayt mid-drink, nodded. Merchant Prince Flavius Maxentian. Good man. . ." he paused, "for one of the nobility that is."

"Lord Inquisitors, Merchant Princes. . .your world sounds like some kind of fairy tale."

To that, Hayt laughed. Shepard recognised it, the laugh of grim irony.

"Ma'am. Our fairy tale is not one you'd be telling the juvies."

"Well we're not juvies, fill us in, I've read the interviews what you and Eisenmus did when you arrived, but other than that, we hardly know anything about you."

"Aye!" Zaeed shouted. "I'd like to hear more about these mystical spaceships that grow up to four times the size of the Destiny Ascension."

The trooper hesitated for a minute, his eye instinctively darted over to the Inquisitor for a moment. After hesitation, he nodded. "My lord's come to trust you, so I'll answer what you want. I won't give any secrets though."

"Fair enough." she stopped to think of a question and was interrupted. Zaeed had beaten her to it.

"How bloody big do your ships get then? If a cruiser is five kilometers long?"

Hayt sat back, he'd emptied his drink. He set the plastic cup back ont he table. "Couldn't tell you exactly, I'm no navy officer, but I know of battleships going up to 8 or 9. That's not counting the space stations or mechanicum vessels, which are a scale unto themselves."

Zaeed whistled. He stared at his own bottle. The liquid was three quarters down the glass. "Could sure use some of those ships about now. . ." he remarked.

"Yeah," she agreed, "what about. ."

The artificial voice of EDI drifted through her earpiece. "The illusive man wishes to speak with you in the communications room, commander Shepard."

"What about what, ma'am?" the stormtrooper asked when Shepard didn't finish her sentence.

"Sorry, I have to go. There's a message for me in the comm room." She sighed and put her fork down with force. "They really do pick their times, don't they?"

"You going to finish that?" Zaeed queried as she began to rise. His eyes stalking out the half uneaten portion of her meal, fork ready to pounce. Shepard lifted it away just in time, Zaeed's fork scraped across the table.

"You want seconds, Zaeed? Go get your own." she said, "These are mine."

"Might just do that. . ." she heard him mutter as she left the mess hall.

* * *

><p>The mess hall was busy with bodies. The sounds of laughter and conversation.<p>

He lifted another piece to his mouth. It was pleasant, much better than the food they usually got on this ship. The inquisitor looked around at the people eating, laughing, talking. Even here, there was a common camaraderie between the crew of a ship.

He managed to pick out his stormtrooper in the midst of diners. he was laughing with the old veteran mercenary. Zaeed his name was.

He took another bite.

A figure sat down opposite him. A tall man with a tanned complexion. Eisenmus hadn't seen him before. He set his tray down and nodded to the inquisitor.

"Evening." he said. He smiled. The inquisitor nodded in reply. His beard itched.

"Evening." he replied and ate another forkful of chicken.

The man shook his head. "Sorry, Crewman Leuz. You've been with us for over two weeks and I haven't bothered to introduce myself yet." he offered his hand to Eisenmus, who shook it.

"Eisenmus." he offered, the man speared one of his chicken pieces with glee and popped it in his mouth. He grinned.

"There's no need. Everyone on the ship knows who you are. I'd say most people on the citadel know who you are by now as well."

A thought that didn't exactly sit well with Eisenmus. He continued eating. Somewhere, someone dropped something. A great mocking cheer went up from their fellows. "I don't find attention conducive to the work we're trying to do."

The man chuckled. "Tough. You and the eldar are pretty much the centre of attention now. If you don't mind me saying, of course." he held up his hands in a gesture.

Eisenmus hummed in aggreement. "You work for Cerberus then?"

"I help where I can. Do my part for humanity, you know?"

To his surprise, Eisenmus found himself nodding in agreement. "Nothing's more noble than that. Creeman Leuz."

The man scoffed, "Please, just call me Basil," he shrugged, "I'm just doing my bit, trying to make the galaxy a better place for us."

"You should be proud. From what I've seen of the galaxy, humanity need more people like you."

He smiled again, "Well, for now I'm all you got." he paused. "I got a good eye for people, Eisenmus. And I can see you've got something on your mind."

The inquisitor paused his chewing. Looked up, the man was looking at him intently. There was a certain wisdom in his eyes, how unusual, for someone so young.

He shrugged. "Well, where do I start? Plucked from my home into this time. . . Surrounded by people and aliens I don't know, with no way back.. . ."

The man nodded soberly and pierced another chicken.

"What did you do? Back where you came from, if you don't mind me asking of course."

He shook his head. "I was. . .am" he corrected. "An inquisitor." he saw the quizzed eyebrows form. "An. . agent of authority." Much like Shepard herself, he realised, now that he came to think about it. "I had missions vital to the safety of my nation. And I was given free rein as to how to complete them."

The man nodded in understanding. "Forgive the bluntness. But you picked a hell of time to come back in time." he smiled.

"It wasn't our choice."

"I realise that. Who'd want to be thrown to a time whenever entire colonies of humans are disappearing?. . "

Images flashed in the inquisitor's mind of Agrippus. Of the bombardment and the fire storm campaign. Of the cities on fire. The twisted and ruined streets of the capital, strewn with bodies whose forms were twisted and warped by chaos.

He thought of his orders, of the quarantine he'd had to put into place. Of the terrified refugees trying to flee their ravaged home. He wondered briefly if back in his time the tragic wrecks of their transports still orbited around their doomed world.

Two billion people had lived on that world, he mused. It would have been optimistic to say half a million survived. . . his hand instinctively went to the inquisitorial seal around his neck.

"That said. . ." the man continued. He scraped the last remains of his meal around his catering tray. "You may be what we need. My old man always said everything happens for a reason. Who knows, maybe there's one behind this?"

The flat tones of Hakkon appeared in the inquisitor's ear. He brought up his hand to block out the surrounding chaos.

"Lord, I request your presence in the armoury. It concerns the sigil. Something's happening, lord."

"I'll be right there," across from him Leuz continued eating. He took his hand away from his ear.

"I apologize but the magos requests me in the armoury."

Leuz held up a hand and shook his head. "No worries. It's good to meet you, Geralt." he said, smiling.

"You too, Leuz." He rose and left, too distracted by the Magos' potential discovery to notice the obvious.

* * *

><p>She stepped into the middle of the holo-platform. It scanned her and she saw the projection fizzled into focus in front of her. A familiar sight. The illusive man, in his chair, smoking. Jesus if he didn't cut back, he'd be dead before they made a move on the collectors.<p>

He turned towards her. "Shepard! I think we have them, Horizon!" He keyed a button on his chair and a blue green orb of a planet came into view. He stood up next to it. He took a long breath from his cigarette. "One of our colonies in the Terminus systems - just went silent. If it isn't under attack it soon will be. Has mordin delivered the counter measure for the seeker swarms?"

She folded her arms, "Not yet." she replied. She'd met with the professor a couple of times about it. All she'd been able to get out of the manic salarian was something about a wave frequency. She hadn't questioned him further.

"Let's hope he works well under pressure." he put out his cigarette in the ashtray on his chair. "There's something else you should know." his eyes swivelled back to her. "One of your former crew, Ashley Williams, is stationed on Horizon." an image of a blue green pearl of a planet continued to rotate slowly beside the illusive man.

Shepard thought about it, the more she did, the more the whole thing stunk, "The collectors just had to pick a colony with one of my former crew? I don't buy it"

His hands opened, "It shouldn't be a surprise the collectors are interested in you. Especially if they're working for the reapers. They might be going after her to get to you." he pointed at her chest.

"Send the coordinates, we'll head straight there" Although she got the impression he was holding something back from her, this wasn't the right time to press the point. If she got to Horizon in time, she could get Ashley's viewpoint, perhaps find what she was missing. It was then she realised she hadn't seen Ashley in two years. . .

"This is the most warning we've ever had Shepard. Good luck" he deactivated the call.

The illusive man dissolved into nothing as the hologram stopped. She was again looking at the small, utilitarian briefing room.

"Joker, set a course for Horizon immediately."

"Mpha May com. .fer. .."

"It's rude to talk with your mouth full Joker."

"uhyes Chom". .a swallowing sound. "Yes, commander." Shepard shook her head

Shepard made her way back to the mess hall. This could be it, she thought. When we start fighting the collectors. The images of Freedom's Progress and simlar colonies flashed up in her mind. That's if we can get there on time. . .

She exited the elevator and marched round to the mess hall. She stood near the entrance, hands on her hips. "Listen up!" Dozens of eyes swivelled round to her.

Just got word, "The colony of Horizon has just went dark," the room audibly tensed. "If it's not under attack it soon will be. The ship's turning round and heading there now. Be prepared for combat soon. Until then . ." she looked at the pairs of eyes looking at her. "Until then, enjoy your meal. . ." she departed the mess hall for the elevator.

There was a definite hush among the diners as she walked back.

"You really know how to liven the mood Shepard. . ." The voice of Garrus appeared behind her, followed by the turian himself as he trotted up along side her.

She smiled, "You up for another mission archangel?" she entered the elevator.

"You know it Shepard."

She smiled and cocked her head, "Come on, we're going to see the professor."

* * *

><p>The communications room was empty save for Shepard and Miranda. The briefing table had been flipped up to serve for the meeting. Shepard rapped her hands on the briefing table. She and Miranda were the first ones to arrive. It was quiet, she could feel the low humm of the engines beneath her.<p>

"We should be coming up on Horizon within the hour." Miranda checked her datapad clock. "I've gone over your plan. It's good, Shepard."

Shepard stayed silent. She was thinking. This could be it. They'd received word sooner than ever before. Maybe this time. . .maybe they could make a difference here. .

Shepard continued to stare at the far wall. "The two eldar said they want to help as well." she continued rapping.

That got her attention. Shepard had received the notes and messages from her XO on the subject. The gist of them was, if they're anything like the other humans, they could be useful in the team.

"You sure they're up for something like this?"

Shepard shrugged. "The imperials talk like they take them seriously. They don't trust each other though. It's our job to try and get them to."

"Old habits can be hard to break out of. They were nigh enemies before they arrived here."

"yeah. . ." Shepard continued to stare ahead.

"Shepard, I. ." Miranda began but cut off when she heard the door open. Her head went straight back to the datapad.

Shepard glanced at Miranda. What was she about to say? Shepard thought. Whatever it was, she didn't want others to hear. She'd have to ask her up on that later.

Mordin and Okeer entered. Shepard nodded a greeting and they took a seat. After them, the others began to trickle in, Shepard counted them off as they entered.

Jacob, Jack, Glaedara, Eleiyra, Kasumi ( who materialised in her chair), Garrus. . . .

When everyone was present, she rose from her seat and stood at the end of the table. From where she stood it looked very crowded.

She paused, tapped her knuckles of the table.

"In an hour. . " she began, "we arrive at the alliance colony of Horizon. . . " she paused. Taking the time to look at her audience. "by now the collectors will have been there a few hours already. This is the earliest warning we've ever had."

Her audience was silent. She pressed a button on the table, a high res map of the planet and the surrounding statistics filled the centre of the table. The lights dimmed in accordance with the hologram and its soft blue glow illuminated the faces of those present, casting a ghostly quality over the ensemble.

The map zoomed in on a section of land on the equator. Slowly a settlement came into focus. Shepard knew the map well. She'd been studying every part of it for the past three hours. . .

"The settlement's called Discovery. De-facto capital of Horizon. . .if the collectors attack anywhere, I'll be here. It's the largest single concentration of humans on Horizon. Population's around 400,000. Not massive, but a decently sized town. The rest of the population's spread out over several continents, too sparse for a collector attack." She clicked another button and several red pings popped up on the map.

"I've radioed alliance command and told them that collectors are inbound on horizon." she received a glance from her XO. Her face remained impassive but Shepard felt the lingering doubt. Miranda had been hesitant to let the alliance in on something like this so early.

"I briefly managed to speak to Hackett. He's promising to do everything he can to get the alliance to send a couple of cruisers to provide backup. He says the alliance brass are wary of sending anything larger than a scout probe into the terminus systems, so let's not get our hopes up."

She pointed to the map. "What he did manage to get us were up to date defence maps for the colony. The red pings are anti ship defence towers, a gift from the alliance. Installed to keep pirates and the like at bay. They're located here."

"The mission is simple. Go in, look for survivors. If we find any, we scour the area for collectors and see about getting these towers back online."

She paused, "As grim as sounds, we'll hopefully catch them as they're rounding up the colonists. If we can catch them in the act and stop them, we could save thousands of lives today."

The weight of the statement reverberated through the room. She continued,

"I have no idea of the numbers down there so we're taking the hammerhead for heavy fire support. We'll deploy onto one of the main thoroughfares here." she pointed. "It's wide, open and with ample cover from the side walkways and buildings, so we'll have plenty of warning of any hostiles if they approach the landing zone. According to these maps, the main security and police precinct should be located here." she pointed to another. "Once we land, that's our first port of call. Check for survivors, link up with the local garrison and move out to secure the towers. Any questions?"

The room was silent for a moment. There was much shuffling.

"Would an small infiltration team work? Say only about three or four people?" Garrus asked.

Shepard shook her head. The thought had crossed her mind over the last few hours. "We know nothing about the collector weapons, or their numbers. Against mercs or pirates, things that we know. . it might be viable. But pinning our hopes on a team like that for this, against collectors? Would be suicide."

"What are the teams?" Jacob asked, his arms folded.

"You, Garrus, Miranda and Mordin I want in the hammerhead. The rest of us will land in the kodiak."

"Shepard." Okeer spoke, his hands made fists on the table."This will be a true fight against the collectors. I ask that we awaken my prototype from its sleep. This is what it was made for. It will perform as a true krogan would."

"You almost risked everything for the safety of that prototype, now you want to risk it all on the battlefield?"

He waved dismissively, "The prototype was not finished when you arrived. Thanks to the time you bought me, now it is. Besides, if it cannot hold its weight in real combat then it is as useless as the hundreds that I flushed down the disposal tubes. Let me awaken it, and I'll show you the true power of a pure krogan warrior."

"Shepard, this sounds like a bad idea. ." Miranda said.

She looked to Okeer, and nodded. "you'll get your krogan. He better be kept under control though."

"My thanks Shepard." he slowly bowed his head to her, the scales of his forehead shone in the low blue illuminance.

"Has there been any word from the colony?" Jacob asked.

"No," Mordin interjected, "all communication went dark with onset of collector attack."

"You've seen these things before Shepard, at the other colony." Zaeed said. "What can we expect?"

She shook her head " We didn't encounter any of them, all we saw was vid logs showing them taking the colonists away."

"Okeer, you have experience with collectors." Miranda said. "Please enlighten us on what we might expect."

"Nothing that we don't already know. I can't say for their weapons. To build my prototype, I asked for technology specializing in genetics and biology, not weapons. Krogan need no other advantage to succeed."

A metallic voice spoke up, "What about the countermeasures? Mordin, care to show the others what you showed us in the lab?" Garrus asked.

The salarian's eyes lit up. "Ah! Good. Yes," he retrieved something from one of his front pouches and placed it on the table, it was tiny, no bigger than a pin.

"Attachable micro sensors. Place to key sections on armour. Masks chemical signatures. Should work, probably."

"Probably?. . ." Miranda asked.

"Haven't tested effects on large scale seeker swarms. Am looking forward to seeing if we survive." he could have been talking about the weather or his family for all his tone suggested.

"Mordin, how many of these can you make?"

He shrugged, "Mass fabrication not a problem. These, fabricated form omnitool micro-forge. Could use Normandy's multi-fabricator to produce many more."

"Do it." Shepard said. "If we find any moving survivors down there, they'll be no use to us if the seekers get them."

"Can do, Shepard." his hand popped out and swiftly retrieved the miniature sensor.

Shepard looked to the back of the room. The imperials and the eldar stood there.

Both were facing her, she noticed. Not facing opposite each other. It's a start. . . she thought.

"What about you?" she said, addressing the humans, "You on board?"

Hayt looked to the inquisitor. Eisenmus nodded. "Destroying the enemies of man is what we were made for Shepard. You will not find us wanting."

Shepard nodded and looked over the eldar, who also nodded with her. "Our paths align Shepard, where you go, we go."

The commander still wasn't exactly sure what that fully entailed but was welcome for the support. "Good! And the rest of you?" a chorus of ayes and yeses sounded through the room."

She smiled. "Good. Get geared up! I want us deployment ready in half an hour. Meet in the hangar. Dismissed."

As the others began to filter out she turned to Okeer. "Time to wake the baby."

A slow, unstoppable grin spread over the Krogan's face. The scientist radiated anticipation.

"You won't be disappointed, Shepard."

* * *

><p>Eisenmus stood before the armour. Even in pieces hung from the wall it towered over him. He could see the damage that it had sustained from the battle on Agrippus. Craters and marks had been filled in by Hakkon with a grey-white cement.<p>

He looked at the armour that had seen him into battle for over a century. It looked back, it had its own personality, its own will. Eisenmus, like any imperial outside the mechanicus, maintained a healthy scepticism over certain aspects of their own special cult.

Looking at the armour though, he could readily say he could believe there was something in there, giving the detached pieces purpose.

"It is still strange, lord. That the Sigil would exhibit uncharacteristic behaviour so such a short time."

Eisenmus gave it a little thought, according to the Magos the Sigil had lit up psychically for a short while, before reverting back to its original levels. He had missed it, but the Maogs had recorded the strange activity and was fervently analyzing the data. He scratched his beard. Anything new they discovered about the Sigil could be critical.

The magos stood beside him. Motionless save for the odd twitch of a mechadendrite. The Sigil would have to wait, he thought, turning his attention back to the armour. "What could you repair?" he asked.

"Armour integrity has been restored to within optimal levels, lord. Have been unable to fix some secondary systems, their spirits were beyond saving." the inquisitor could almost hear a trace of sadness in the magos' voice, but that was impossible. "As for bolter ammunition, I have been able to manually manufacture a small stock of rounds. They are not numerous, as each bolt takes time to properly sanctify, lord. They should suffice for this mission however."

He nodded. "Let's begin." he said and the magos started laying out the pieces to be attached.

First the boots, which Eisenmus stepped into. He had changed back into his armour's undersuit which contained all the necessary neural implants necessary to operate the armour. He stepped onto the massive treads, and felt a click as the soles of his undersuit snapped into place. Hakkon diligently fastened in the rest of the connections. Chanting litanies to the machine god as he performed his duties.

"Omnissiah we beseech you. Guide your spirits as they prepare for battle. . " he reverently lifted the greaves and attached them. His mechadendrites twisting and turning. Forming tools and supporting pieces of the armour. Sparks flew and drilling noises screeched as the mechanicus adept went about his duties.

"Please bless your servants as they awaken from their slumber. May they bask in the divinity of your energy and light. . ."

The upper legs and waist were completed.

"For yours is the eternal glory. We merely servants to your divine and omniscient knowledge. . ."

The under-chest piece was attached. The inquisitor was jostled as heavy drills and welders attached both the back and front sections into a single fully enclosed carapace.

The arms were next. The gloves and holy armaments were attached. With each new piece, Eisenmus felt more and more of his undersuit activate in accordance to the attached armour. The spirits and circuits within awakening and recognising their counterparts in the armour plates.

Finally, the main shoulder and chest pieces, places over the under armour. He looked at the finely wrought inscriptions and seals. Each one designed to ward off evil and demonic influence. As the inquistor looked at them, he felt true. More true than he had since coming here. They were going to do the Emperor's work. They were going to hunt down the xenos and make them pay for crossing humanity.

The armour spirits must have sensed his excitement as he felt a humm as the armour's main reactor awoke from its slumber and filled the suit with life. His previously dead limbs hummed with power as he moved them. The sound of servos and gears moving was more welcome to him that he would have thought. In front of him, Hakkon was finishing his litany.

"Oh great Omnissiah. We look to thee for favour. We look to thee for knowledge. We look to thee for salvation and enlightenment."

The inquisitor tested the movement. The great colossal feet moved again. They stomped on the deck, shaking the armoury floor.

Hakkon finished, his mechadrites bowed before the amour in reverence. His once-hands made the sign of the cog in from of him.

"Omnissiah preserve us." he muttered with utmost reverence.

* * *

><p>The krogan scientist stood beside the tank, typing controls into the little data station next to it. The little rapid beeping of the buttons echoed through the largely empty room. His mass obscured the data station from Shepard's view. Even out of his armour, his presence was substantial.<p>

"Vital signs stable. Everything looks good." he looked to Shepard and stepped to the side. "You do the honours. He's here because of you."

"EDI, wake him up." she said.

"Yes, Shepard." Shepard could have sworn she heard trepidation in the synthetic voice. A large mechanical draining noise filled the room as the tank emptied. The suspension fuild level fell down the front glass of the tank, revealing for the first time a clear image of the creature beneath.

A hiss of steam and vapour sprayed from the edges as the air seals broke. The glass panel on the front slid slowly off to the side. Clamps holding the creature released.

The krogan in the tank fell forward onto his knees, coughing and spluttering. It was conscious! It coughed up liquid which splattered across the decking.

Slowly, inexorably it drew up to its full height, dwarfing Shepard. It seemed not to care for its armour, still dripping with fluid. It seemed more refined, more elegant than standard Krogan armour. Shepard took a step forward, cautious of the potential voilene this thing represented. Okeer hadn't moved nor said anything, but with something akin to satisfaction on his wide face.

The tank born krogan looked at her with eyes of violence and without warning charged.

He slammed Shepard into the wall, pinning her.

"Human female, before you die I need a name." its voice reverberated like the thump of heavy machinery. Its arm had her head and chest pinned to the wall. She couldn't move, but she could speak.

"I'm commander Shepard of the Normandy." She stared at the krogan's eyes.

His head shook, "Not your name, mine. I am trained, know things. . but the tank, the tank couldn't imply connection. His words are hollow."

"Disappointing." Okeer said. He hadn't moved from his position beside the tank. "I'll have to find out what went wrong."

The krogan looked over to Okeer, just noticing him. "You. . . I know you. . Okeer. You put me in the tank. fed me the words."

"Yes, you are the legacy of the Krogan."

"Then you should know you failed. Your words are hollow, they have no meaning, no connection."

The scientist's shoulders slumped. A noise like an agitated groan. "I ask for a legacy, instead I get an ignorant grunt."

A concentrated look fell over the face of the krogan holding Shepard, "Grunt. . .Grunt. . . that'll do." He looked back to Shepard, Okeer scoffed at his chosen name.

"I am Grunt! If you are worthy of command, prove your strength and try to destroy me."

"You want me to kill you?" Show strength, thought Shepard. Show confidence!

"Want? No, I fight because I am meant to - fight and reveal the strongest. Nothing in the tank has ever asked me what I want."

"Hah, I doubt you could even hurt this human Grunt."

"I could snap her neck with a twist." Grunt spat at Okeer.

"Do you know who that is?" he waved his hand dismissively. "Of course you don't, the tank didn't teach you."

The warlord pointed at Shepard. "That human is responsible for your survival. She has faced an army of geth warriors and undead husks. She faced an army of cloned krogan on Virmire and prevented the downfall of galactic civilization. Now she wakes you to go to war with an even greater threat. . . and you think you can kill her?" a wide grin appeared on Okeer's face.

Grunt's head turned back to Shepard. His far separated eyes focusing on her. "Is this true? Are we headed for battle?"

"We're headed for a colony under attack by collectors. No one's fought them as we're going to. We've no idea how many or how heavily armed. But we're going to kill every last one we find."

The concentrated look went across the krogan's face.

"My team is strong. You'd make it stronger." she pressed.

The krogan called Grunt considered this. "That's . . . acceptable. I'll fight for you."

"You should be grateful you gave into reason you Grunt." Okeer mentioned. And nodded towards Grunt's waist.

The krogan looked down., seeing the weapon aimed at his chest for the first time. He released Shepard.

"Heh, you offer one hand but arm the other. . . " his head slowly nodded up and down. ". . wise Shepard."

"We're heading for the colony now. I want you both in the hangar in 20 minutes!"

"Yes Shepard." Okeer said and turned to his creation. "The history implants may have failed, let's hope the combat ones haven't."

"You mock me, old man?"

"Watch your tongue, welp! Now, we need to get you a weapon."

A grin showed on Grunt's face. "A weapon. . .yes. Take me where the weapons are."

They exited the room. Grunt sniffed, then sniffed again.

"Do I smell something to eat?"

* * *

><p>Horizon loomed in the Normandy's viewscreen. The static orb of blue and green grew larger and larger in the cockpit. The wide, curving horizon of the planet gradually turned turned to flame as the tendrils of fire greeted the Normandy on returning to the atmosphere. For several minutes, the Normandy was indistinguishable from any other falling meteor in the sky.<p>

The flames abided and the Normandy swept down through the layers of clouds. Sensors and instruments scanned the terrain below, mapping it out and storing it in EDI's databanks.

Except Discovery. A scrambled web of interference hovered over the colony. The sensors had no success penetrating it. Joker radioed this through to the commander. Who acknowledged and gave the order to continue on with the mission.

Hazy clouds surrounded the Normandy. The speed of the craft left smoky contrails through the air for miles behind it. As good as its stealth systems were, there was no hiding it's path now.

Deeper and deeper the craft dropped into the grip of the planet, until the Normandy was cruising at a comfortably low altitude, ready for deployment. The team was geared and ready. The vehicles prepped and loaded. The capital city was only a couple dozen more miles ahead. The ship was now well within the interference blanket.

As the Normandy approached, and as the last vestiges of the cloud cover released its grip on the craft, Discovery faded into view ahead of them.

Joker's mouth dropped at the sight that greeted him in the viewscreen, "What the fuck is that thing?" he exclaimed. Seeing the colossal craft for the first time. It hung above the colony, a floating spike of rock and metal. It dwarfed the colony beneath it.

"Have we got a problem Joker?" Shepard chimed in. Joker realised that the comm had been on. She would be waiting in the cargo bay with the rest of the team by now, only minutes before deployment.

"We've got a massive collector ship parked right on top of the colony."

"Bringing it up now." came her reply. He knew she was looking through the cameras mounted on the front of the ship with her omni. Her silence told him what she thought.

The ship was getting bigger as they approached the colony.

"Ok, new plan. We're deploying now!" Shepard ordered over the comm. Joker, take the Normandy around on a pass and distract them. No Heroics! You've already crashed one, I don't want to pull your crippled ass out of another!"

He winced, remembering the last time. He'd mentally rerun those moments hundreds of times. It had been his fault she hadn't got to the escape pod, his fault she'd died two years ago.

"Thanks for the welcome reminder."

"Open the doors Joker!"

He flicked the controls to the hangar doors, flipped the switch. "Opening doors. Good luck down there!" He felt the Normandy lurch slightly as the cargo was released. A minor hiccup in the flight, he corrected for it quickly.

The doors in the hangar slid open and the Hammerhead and Kodiak dropped straight out the bottom. For the first few seconds, they fell like rocks. The hammerhead's mass effect field motors cut in and it slowed, with the shuttle still hurtling down towards the planet. Its engines cut in a moment later and it traced a more spiral path towards the colony.

* * *

><p>Far, far ahead the Normandy screeched forward. Coming in on a wide arc around the collector vessel. It managed to fire a single volley of disrupter torpedoes before it screamed past the vessel.<p>

The torpedoes streamed towards the vessel and impacted on the side. Chucks of what looked like rock and debris streamed off the side of the ship. As the dust dissipated, a dark smear marked the impact of the salvo. It was the first and only salvo from the Normandy, it didn't intend to stick around for anything more.

The collector vessel responded, but ineffectually. It's main weapon was pointed directly up, and the Normandy was flying well below the firing arc. Several of the side weapons tried to get a bead, firing arrow straight yellow beams that pierced into the sky. They hit air, as the Normandy flew past their fire cones in a fraction of a second. The Normandy streamed by, unharmed.

Having made its presence known, it sped off low over the landscape, unwilling to risk another pass. It's blue engines flared as it shrunk off into the distance. The yellow beams followed it, but the range was too great and the landscape too rough. Soon the Normandy's silhouette disappeared over and around the hills.

"Go on Joker, get out of here!" Shepard ordered through the comm.

"I don't need any more encouragement, commander. I'm not br..nging my baby anywh...re near tha ...thing!" the crackle of static started to eat its way into the transmission.

"Acknowledged Joker, get back up to orbit."

Far behind the retreating Normandy, the shuttle and hammerhead descended towards Discovery. Buildings came up fast beneath them, the hammerhead ignited its jets. Thrusters flared to life as the descent speed decreased on the final approach to a crawl.

Their final approach was risky. They'd spent much longer in the air than they'd intended. If the collectors had been paying attention, a few well aimed shots could've done serious damage.

The buildings of Discovery stretched out below. A rough street grid near the centre gave way to the chaos of early colonial development at the outskirts.

The shuttle gave a wide lateral turn, still travelling at tremendous speed. Gradually it slowed and joined the hammerhead on the ground. They both made ground in the main vehicle thoroughfare. The shuttle scraped across the wreckage ridden surface. It's engines softened.

The hatch opened and the team leapt out. They covered the surrounding buildings and formed a wide circle around the deployment zone.

Shepard leapt out, part of her team already moving further out into the street.

The scene was unsettling. Save for the vehicles and the sporadic buzz of the seeker swarms overhead, it was deathly quiet.

The street was wide. A principal vehicle carriageway cut straight down the middle, around a third of the total width of the street. Wide boulevards and promenades stood on each side of the road. None of the buildings stood more than four stories high. Mostly boxy prefab units, like the ones on Freedom's Progress. The pedestrian areas were still stacked with equipment, machinery and supplies. The hallmarks of a developing colony.

It was packed with people. People frozen in all positions as they'd tried to escape the swarm. The team was near the centre of the town, close to the main admin centres. She could only guess how many more were trapped in the buildings surrounded them.

She waited for the last squad members to clear. "Goldstein, we're down. Get the shuttle out of here!"

"Will do commander. I'll find somewhere to lie low." The shuttle's engines screamed as it flew up and away from the landing zone. She team watched it go. The hammerhead idled nearby.

Shepard looked to her assembled team.

"Right! North to the garrison. Move out!"


	11. Contact with Collectors

Author's Note: Slightly shorter one today, concerning Horizon. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11: Contact with Collectors<strong>

The street was a scene of eerie horror. A wide thoroughfare, flanked by the town centre buildings on either side.

Shepard surveyed the street before them. It was wide. The central promenade was wide enough for almost four hammerheads to pass unimpeded. She guessed this was the main arterial route through the colony. Every new colony needed a way to quickly ferry in freight or supplies. It didn't have the infrastructure that more developed worlds had.

The middle of the street was flat and wide, obviously designed for vehicles or hovercars to land. Off to the sides were the main pedestrian areas for people and business. The pavements had been landscaped well, gentle and subtle tiers of ground levels broke up the otherwise flat walkways and allowed elevated views over the main promenade. She saw trees and vegetation, signs of a colony just beginning the transition from basic sustenance to self sufficiency.

Further back, the colony buildings themselves. Mostly standard prefab, of varying sizes. Though in this street the smallest she could see was at least several stories high. Here and there were more solid, permanent looking buildings. They stood out from the rest.

It was very quiet, only the sound of armour clanking and the ever diminishing screech of the shuttle.

There were bodies. Hundreds of them. The littered the streets. Some in vehicles, others on the ground. All frozen where they stood or fell.

Shepard walked up to one. Studied it. To her revulsion she could see the eyes make miniscule movements. These people were still conscious, just paralyzed by the seeker swarms.

She looked up. Great black swirling clouds of them gathered overhead. They went to and fro like flocks of birds on earth. guided by some unknown mind.

She keyed the comm. "Eisenmus, Hayt, Hakkon and Zaeed you advance up the left pavement. Eldar, Jack and Kasumi, the right. Grunt and Okeer, you're with me and the hammerhead in the centre. We move up as one, cover the width of the promenade."

The acknowledgements filtered in and she started moving. Weapon raised.

Her team advanced up the street in good order. The hammerhead in the centre of the street supported by the rest of the team on either side. She walked ahead of the hammerhead in the centre, along with Garrus and Grunt.

The imperials were off to her left flank while the eldar took the right. The pair of them were untested in combat. She hadn't seen them in combat yet, but the imperials seemed to respect them. If they performed like their human counterparts then there wouldn't be any issue.

They advanced up the street. Eyes and weapons scanning for any assailants.

Like thunder, a shotgun blast boomed off to her right. It echoed through the empty street. Her head whipped round.

To her surprise, Okeer was standing over the body of a husk. A husk! Like the ones the geth had used on Eden Prime. It had been skulking behind a vehicle whenever the krogan had rounded the side. It was twitching, a huge gaping hole in its chest. The bale blue light in its eyes slowly dimmed.

"Ugh. Disgusting." the large krogan reloaded to a fresh clip.

"What was that commander?" she heard Jacob over the comm, still inside the tank.

"We've got husks here, like the ones on Eden Prime." she kept herself wary. There was never just one husk. There were always dozens of them.

The other krogan barged past and looked at the pathetic creature. "I thought you said your enemies were worthy, Shepard!" he snorted. Grunt's nostrils flared at the sight of the ruined mess on the ground. "These things are weak. . "

Shepard wasn't listening. She could feel something, a low rumble.

It was followed by another, closer this time. Then another . . .and another.

Soon the team was engulfed in a deafening moaning. A dreadful, tortured sound.

"What the fuck? . ." Zaeed breathed through the comm.

"Uh. . commander. . ." Jacob again " Don't want to alarm you, but the scanner just lit up like a christmas tree. From. .everywhere around you."

The groaning grew louder and louder. It reverberated off the buildings around them. They couldn't pinpoint the direction.

The first husk climbed over a freight lorry ahead of them. It saw them and let out a bellowing moan before its head was blown clean off by Zaeed.

"Think I shut him up." he said.

From behind the ruin of the decapitated husk, others appeared. Then more, then more. They streamed from within buildings, side streets, alleys and vehicles. Dozens, hundreds. . . they streamed towards Shepard's team. All moaning a dreadful chorus.

The team opened fire in response, cutting through the encroaching front wave of husks. Behind her, she felt the heavy, rapid 'thwump' of the hammerhead add its own cannon to the weight of fire.

Husks were shredded in the opening barrage. The others paid no attention. They stepped over the mangled bodies of their fallen brethren.

Shepard saw a few unfortunate trapped civilians get caught up in the path of the husks. Unable to move or cry out they were trampled beneath the encroaching horde. In the distance she saw vehicles and machinery swarm with the things. A thousand pairs of hateful blue eyes were set upon her and her team.

She continued to fire.

* * *

><p>Glaedara met the new enemy with her blade. These new things repulsed her. Grotesque mockeries of the monkeigh forms fused with crude, obscene mechanical mechanisms. They groaned and yelled as their hands tried to claw, maim and tear at her.<p>

None touched her.

She danced as she had before. Her spear neatly bisecting one and disembowelling another. She twirled, caught another by the leg tendons. It went down. Before it hit the ground, she had swung at another. It's head was removed from its shoulders. Using its momentum she dropped another from its feet, knocking down its follower as well. She spun the spear downwards and skewered them both in one stroke.

She raised her head. She was devoid of enemies within a moderate range. She looked round and saw the small monkeigh female Jack looking at her. The female's eyebrows raised.

"You got some fucking moves, your royal highness" a soft, blue glow began to form around her.

The small woman smiled and winked, the blue aura glowed brighter. "Now watch mine. ."

Glaedara stared in fascination as the female began screaming and charged the nearest collection of these abominations. On impact she essentially exploded in a massive blue corona of energy. Glaedara watched with curiosity. She'd never witnessed anything so blunt or confusing before, she allayed her fear in that she wasn't using warpcraft, Glaedara would've felt it.

She decided it must be some kind of technology the people of this time used and left it at that. There would be time for meditation on the topic later.

She scanned the enemies in front of her. The heads of the closest few abruptly left their shoulders in a shower of gore. Eleiyra's work, she concluded. She would be around somewhere, with a good vantage point.

Reassured of her Ranger providing an overwatch she walked towards the nearest mechanical monster. Spear trailing the ground behind her.

* * *

><p>Over on the opposite flank, the inquisitor slashed his sword left and right. The sweeps of the ancient weapon bisected these creatures in two. He brought his fist round, pulverising another. He saw the magos beside him. Red streaks of las fire erupted from his carbine. They tore through the monsters' flesh, leaving black score marks on the corpses.<p>

Another tried to jump him from behind. One of his mechadendrites slammed into it mid air. It spiralled to the ground. As it landed it was speared by another mechanical arm in the configuration of a spearpoint.

"Position viable, lord." he said through the comm as he shot another with his carbine. Its innards splayed out as its chest cavity exploded. Momentum carried it onward and downward into the ground.

"Acknowledged." he turned to the stormtrooper, he stood behind a raised rockcrete dais in the middle of the side pavement. There was some plaque attached to its four sides, but Eisenmus wasn't paying attention to it. "Hayt, report."

"Immediate hostiles despatched my lord." he dived out and snapped off a couple more shots at the walking cadavers in the distance. They went down, their heads cooked to a crisp.

"Acknowledged." he switched channel "Shepard, left flank holding. Request new instruction."

"Hold on a . . ." several blasts came through the comm. "Stick with the team. They're mostly coming from the front but watch our backs. Keep them at range!"

"Acknowledged." he keyed off the comm and raised his red hot storm bolter to several more encroaching monsters. . .

* * *

><p>"Shepard. Incoming collectors. Mid street. Ahead." Mordin said.<p>

She looked past the horde of husks. She saw figures come skittering down from behind the buildings. They landed further up the street, their forms obscured by the different levels between footpath and road.

She had managed to steal a couple glances at them, finally seeing the enemy that had taken so many people. Biped, with almost chitinous like armour. Four angry glowing eyes stared from an overly large, flattened head. Insect wings vibrated from their backs gave them flight. Their movements were sudden and twitchy.

She came to a realisation. A distraction, that's all these husks were. Expendable by the collectors to soften up her team. Between shots, she saw a couple more collectors move into position. They were doing nothing now, probably waiting for the husks to be finished off before moving in with force.

They couldn't get bogged down here. They'd just get surrounded and cut down.

"This is Shepard. Collectors massing behind the husks. We need an opening through the husks or we're dead."

"A pleasure Shepard. . ." Grunt grinned and charged the nearest group of husks, Shotgun shouting its defiance.

She saw the inquisitor add his own weight to the melee. She saw his sword had been drawn again, the strange blue arc lightning flashing along its length.

"Shepard," he came through on the comm. "We will clear a path ahead through these creatures. Left flank is secure, I will assist." the cultured voice of the inquisitor filtered to her ear.

"Understood. You all heard him, move up the street!"

The team followed the great masses of the krogan and the inquisitor. Using them as the spearpoint, the team moved up behind them, clearing out any husks that slipped round to the sides.

They made good progress up the main street. The husks' ranks began to thin to manageable levels. . .

That's when the collectors opened fire.

Angry yellow beams erupted from the collector position. One scythed close to Shepard as she was repositioning further forward. She threw herself behind a vehicle in the middle of the road. The beams of dirty yellow continued to scrape overhead.

"Shields are down!" she heard Zaeed call out, he'd been unlucky to be on the receiving end of one of their beams.

"You good?"

"Just peachy, thanks."

"What the hell are they?" Garrus said over the comm.

"Unseen technology. Possibility particle accelerator. Not certain. Have to get closer to examine. . ." Mordin's half chopped sentences were cut off by another volley from the collectors.

Shepard peaked around the vehicle. She saw them. Half hidden by the terrain, she saw their wings flap with chitinous vibrations. Almost insect like they skittered lightning quick around their position, their wings giving them eerie maneuverability.

The husks were thinning. Her team moved up closer to the collector position, the hammerhead able to lay down supporting fire.

* * *

><p>The hammerhead around him rumbled. Something scraped off the outer hull. Garrus paid it no heed. He looked through the targeting visor. He saw the collector position.<p>

"Shepard. I'll keep their heads down. Move up."

"Acknowledged Garrus." came the reply and the turian unleashed the heavy cannon on the hammerhead. The muffled noises of the cannon filtered through the cabin, but he knew they'd be thunder on the exterior. He watched the rounds slam into the collector position. Chewing up pieces of road and disintegrating civilian vehicles. He was careful to watch his aim. There was still hundreds of frozen bodies about.

Dust covered the enemy position, thrown up by the impacts. A good section of their cover was gone. He saw that the team had seized the opportunity and shifted ever closer to the enemy position. The side pavements provided a slight height advantage over the far location. He could see the imperial humans had consolidated on a raised courtyard overlooking the other areas of the promenade, while on the other side, biotic explosions continued to flare wherever Jack found another husk.

From out of the dust cloud, the yellow beams continued to streak with the same accuracy. One collapsing Grunt's shields. The turian grunted within the tank. Obviously these creatures didn't need to see the same say we did.

"Jacob, take us forward! Let's put some more pressure on them."

"Got it Garrus." came the reply. The vehicle lurched forward on overly taut mass effect fields. They gave the vehicle the personality of an energetic warren. Always wanting to bound and leap everywhere.

The tank rose up over the vehicles blocking its path. With another clear view, Garrus fired again at the collector position. He could make them out, they skidded about with unnatural speed. Their wings beating behind them.

"Bastards are quick!" he swore and fired again. He could have sworn the collector dodged his fusilade and glided to the side. It's wings allowed it to swiftly translate sideways like the hammerhead. A section of road was shredded behind the collector's original position.

"Damn it! Shepard, these things are quick! I can keep them pinned down but that's about it. Can't hit them, they're too mobile."

"Understood. Keep their heads down, we'll have to close in ourselves."

"Aye Shepard." and resumed his barrage of their position. Any up popped head was replied with another streak of cannon fire. The vehicle vibrated from the loosed rounds.

* * *

><p>The angry thump of the cannon sounded behind Shepard. She saw the rounds overhead blitz towards the enemy position. Dust and wreckage flew as more and more of the collector's cover was consumed by the heavy cannon.<p>

"Grunt, Okeer we're moving up!"

"Yes!" Grunt grinned and followed her out of cover. The imperials were drawing the majority of the collector fire. Ruler straight lines of yellow and red criss crossing their positions.

She sprinted forward, looking to dive behind the central road divider up ahead. A collector beam caught her in the chest just as she was diving into cover. Her shields collapsed almost instantly and for a brief second the beam scoured her chestplate. She slammed into the cover. She covered her face from the heat radiating off her armour. An ugly stripe of blackened material arced its way across her armour, where the beam had traced its path as she fell. She could see the armour itself was rent and warped.

Shit! she thought and radioed, "Watch out for their weapons!" she radioed, "They'll drop your shields in an instant."

"Ya don't have to tell me." Zaeed replied. Somewhere the ugly bark of his heavy rifle sounded. She looked round from her crouched position. Grunt and Okeer were with her. Their bulk demanding they took cover against the walls to the side of the road.

Their shotguns blasted with anger, but at this range all they did was pepper the collector position.

A collector beam screeched in reply, it tore through the air and impacted Grunt's massive shoulder pauldron. Too slow to get back to cover, the krogan's shields failed and chips and pieces of his armour disintegrated under the beam.

He managed to get back to cover. Not before his pauldron was a ruined, blackened, smoky mess. He looked at it, as if only noticing it and grunted. His face turned sour. Even with her limited knowledge of krogan body language, Shepard could see the brute was annoyed.

Behind him, several husks began to encroach on Okeer's position, hoping to drive him to the open. One bounded onto his shoulders while another lept for his waist, clawing hands outstretched.

The warlord roared and kicked the one coming at his waist. Something snapped and broke. The husk collapsed in a heap on the floor.

The krogan then threw himself backfirst against his cover, crushing his unwanted passenger between a wall of concrete and a krogan in armour. The husk screamed and relented, joining its lifeless friend on the ground.

Though the husks had been taken care of, a few stragglers remained. They could be gunned down, Shepard thought, through at the risk of collector fire.

Pinpoint collector fire showered her position. The corner of the concrete street divider was shorn off as the yellow beam sliced through it. She tasted burning rock.

"Jack? These collectors are dug in, can you pull them out of their hiding places?"

"Can I fuck, Shepard. . ." came the curt reply. Moments later, a noise like an pressure implosion sounded from the collector position. Two of the collectors were pulled forward. Along with their cover. Collector and concrete railing flew through the air towards Shepard and the Krogan. They landed just a few feet from them.

The krogan pair wasted no time. Pumping the nearest with shotgun blasts. They roared with approval.

Incredibly, the collector began to rise, oblivious to the crippling blasts. What looked like violet kinetic barriers flashed about it, taking most of the damage. Even under fire, it's wings started and it zipped away from Shepard and the krogan. In its retreat though, its shields finally failed under the relentless barrage of the krogan.

The remaining blasts tore through its insect like wings and it sprawled to the ground, squirming. One wing was still operating, putting it in an awkward roll on the ground. Shepard filled its squirming, wounded body with a fusillade of her own. Her rounds dinged off its carapace, sending sparks and little chips of chitin spiralling through the air. To her disbelief, it still managed to make its way to cover.

Her shock was short lived when the collector was thrown out of cover again, sparks flying from impacts to its grotesque head. It lay there, twitching on the ground. But finally, the lights in its eyes dulled and it ceased moving.

What were these things made of? she thought

Ahead, Kasumi peeked round the cover the collector had tried to flee to, gave a cheeky salute to Shepard before disappearing. A second later, two collector beams scoured Kasumi's position. Thankfully, they only impacted on the ground, sending up burning smoke and leaving black marks.

"How hard are these things to kill?!" she voiced aloud.

"Hard enough" Grunt said, from the centre of the road, she could see the raw grin on his face. The Krogan was genuinely enjoying this.

* * *

><p>Eleiyra sat in the third story window of what she assumed was a residence building. The resident humans here were near the middle of the room. One was standing, a look of grimace on his frozen face. The others were frozen rolling on the floor. She saw a couple of the mechanical bugs crawl over them. The bugs disturbed her.<p>

She fired another shot from her rifle. It zoomed through the air and caught another husk as it leapt from a vantage point. Its head came off mid flight and it slammed into the pavement. The voice of the farseer came through in her mind.

_Eleiyra, the monkeigh are having difficulty with the armoured ones. _

Eleiyra understood. She didn't have a good angle on the others from this window. She holstered her rifle, drew her pistol and engaged the cloak.

She vaulted out the window, grasping the top of the frame for purchase. She pulled herself up to the next level. Monkeigh buildings were crudely built and had many protrusions easily accessible for climbing. She felt her way up the building, her eyes useless in telling her purchase points when under cloak. It took years to get used to climbing without being able to see your limbs.

She felt her cloak flap around her as she span up and over the parapet. She jogged a short distance over to a spot she liked, and deactivated the cloak.

She put her pistol away and redrew the long rifle. She rested it on the small metal ledge that encircled the roofs of most buildings here.

From here she saw the whole battlefield. The farseer almost directly below, slicing through the dead abominations. The Shepard woman, crouched down in the middle of the street, firing the odd volley of inaccurate shots at these collector creatures. The far side, the imperials. Their presence known by the rough bark of their handcannons and the malevolent crimson streaks of their las weapons.

Facing the team from the Normandy were the collectors, bipedal lumps of ugly brown carapace and insectoid heads. One had been dispatched, another four remained.

She didn't know much about the foes she was facing. Nor why their destruction was demanded in the grand scheme. But she trusted the advice of the farseer. She'd get them through this mess.

She looked through the scope of her rifle, the rifle that had seen the end of many lives before. She picked out one that hid behind the mass of a cargo carrier in the road. She waited.

It looked out, ready to fire another yellow lance. Through the scope she saw it's wings twitch, its four eyes darting this way and that. Its movements slowed for an instant as her breathing halted.

She fired.

For a split second, her long rifle and the creature's head were connected by a beam of blue-white light. A split second later, the heat of the beam seared through the creature's carapace and internal organs, vaporizing them in their cranial container.

There was no sound. The creature slumped back onto the ground. It's weapon skidded across the road. Its feet remained twitching for a good few seconds after it died.

She had chosen well, as she now saw the farseer had anticipated her choice of target. With that collector gone, the path to the others was now unguarded. Eleiyra could already see the farseer sprinting to exploit the gap.

Astonishingly, within seconds one of their hateful beams passed close to roof ledge. Acting on instinct, she activated cloak and swiftly moved onward. She saw her previous position get raked by a series of rapid shots from the things below.

These ones knew what they were doing, she thought. She'd have to be careful from now on.

* * *

><p>The farseer leapt over the cargo carrier, over the corpse of the deceased collector. She landed in a fluid motion, her speed the same, her course unchanged.<p>

Spear in hand she rushed the remaining collectors. Just before she reached them, they spotted her. The scrambled in response, already turning their weapons around. They were quick, she realised. The ones furthest away had already begun to fly away to maintain distance.

She calculated. If they gained range enough to use their weapons, she was dead. She needed to deal with them now.

She threw her spear at the closest one, the one that hadn't begun to lift off yet. She then brought her hands around to those further away, those beginning to rise in the air.

She felt the energy rise within her. She felt her vision expand as it always did, she saw briefly spectra of infrared and ultraviolet, all superimposed. Power coursed through her. Her true sight may be gone, but she had tested her other powers, the ones that did not need to be interpreted or made sense of. For the warp was still there, far more peaceful than she had ever seen.

But a calm ocean contains no less water than a stormy one.

Lightning coursed from her fingers, connecting with the collectors in the air, arcing from one to the next. Shrieks and inhuman screams issued from their twisting bodies. One by one they fell from the sky, landing in sparking scorched ruins on the ground.

He removed her spear from the first collector. It still lived, twitching and screeching.

She finished it off with a quick stab to its overly large forehead.

* * *

><p>The last collector saw the tide of battle turn against it. It activated its wings in a desperate bid to flee the battle. Jack saw it rise off the grpund, looking to leave.<p>

She didn't let it, She reached out and trapped it in a ball of biotic energy. Its wings buzzed furiously as it tried to escape the prison Jack had contained it.

Volleys of fire issued up from below. The vast majority was absorbed by the thing's shields, the laser rounds of the imperials fared better. Punching through the creature at the waist and shoulder. It screeched horribly as its shields collapsed. Shepard finally finished it with a burst from her rifle. A couple of her rounds striking lucky between the heavy armour plates of its carapace.

It went limp in the mass effect field. Hung in mid air for a moment before the field collapsed and it spiralled towards the earth. It landed with a sickening crack!

With the last collector finished the remaining husks, through some unseen command, turned and started to flee. They moaned and ran back to whatever hiding places they'd sprung out form. Half a dozen went down from the finishing volleys from the team But the majority escaped. After a few moments the team were left with the same eerie quiet that had greeted them upon arrival.

"Hostiles?" Shepard asked into the comm. The street was empty again. Ruined, blackened and dust caked. . but empty. Some of the collector corpses still smoked where they lay. The breeze carried the smell of burnt rock and flesh.

"Negative, clear." she heard Garrus.

"Clear." came Kasumi, who materialised on a vehicle to Shepard's right.

"Clear." came the inquisitor

"Anyone wounded?" she asked. She made a quick glance at her own armour. These weapons would do serious damage if they weren't careful.

A chorus of negatives filtered back to her.

""What the hell are these things made of?" Jacob asked from the hammerhead.

"I don't know, but it would be interesting to find out. . . " Okeer was standing over one of the collector corpses. He promptly stamped down on one of the collector lims. A terrible sound between bone and wood splintering sounded as the krogan's armoured boot descended.

Okeer grunted in frustration, the limb remained stubbornly attached to the body.

Several more stamps by the large krogan were needed to properly separate the arm from collector. He reached down and picked up the dead collector arm. He studied his trophy with interest before attaching it to his equipment belt at his waist.

He noticed Shepard looking at him for the first time. "Have never gotten to see collector biology before . . .this could be most enlightening. . ." the grin spread across his face.

"They can die. They aren't invincible." Shepard said, she remembered Jack's play with the biotic fields. She keyed in her comm, she had an idea, "These things may be armoured well against conventional weapons, but they seem to be weak to biotics. Jacob, Miranda I need you two out here to help us with that. Zaeed, you can replace them in the hammerhead."

"Gotcha Shepard." the old veteran replied.

"Garrus, hope you can manage in there with only three, I need the rest out here."

"Piece of cake Shepard."

"Good to hear."

She turned back to the team, now joined by Miranda and Jacob hauling themselves out of the hammerhead hatches.

"Edi, what's the location on the garrison?"

"The main security garrison is roughly 1.2 km north of your current position. You will need to cut across a pedestrian plaza in order to reach it."

"Understood." looking farther down the street, she could see the start of the open area they'd have to go. It went perpendicular to the street.

She signalled for the team to keep moving forward, and pried Mordin away from his study of the collector corpses. They made it to the plaza without additional contact with the collectors. Everywhere they went they saw more frozen bodies, and uncountable seeker swarms.

As they approached the plaza Shepard ordered a halt. "Garrus, you getting anything on the scanner?"

"Can hardly make anything out. The scanner picks up all these people as potential targets. Here's a huge mass of something ahead. So be on your toes."

"Thanks Garrus." she said and ordered the team to round the corner.

The plaza was a large flat paved area punctured by ornamental dividers and seating. It was large, at least fifty in width, double that in length. She scanned it, it was scattered by the coffin like pod things the collectors used to transport the people on Freedom's Progress.

"What the hell?" Jacob began.

"Its the pods." Miranda said. "Like on Freedom's Progress."

Shepard was absent mindedly listening, too distracted by the massive pile of the pods stacked orderly in the centre of the plaza

"That's a lot of people. . ." she muttered.

She heard a tearing noise. A mix between wood splintering and metal shearing. She looked round and saw that the inquisitor in his massive armour had torn off one of the pod's covers.

Shepard walked over and looked at the occupant. She gasped with shock.

The frozen face of a child maybe 11 years old stared back up at them. His eyes wide with terror. They darted from her to the inquisitor. Uncomprehending.

"Don't worry." Shepard reassured him. She put a hand on his chest. "We're here to keep you safe. We won't let these things take you."

The darting eyes were her only reply that he understood. The inquisitor turned to her. His face a scowl.

"This is the true nature of xenos, Shepard. These collectors require, demand! cleansing from this universe."

Looking at the child Shepard couldn't agree more. She saw the hundreds of pods in this plaza alone and suddenly the true scale of the genocide hit her. It overwhelmed her, angered her. She'd make these bastards pay for every life they stole!

They couldn't take the child with them, she thought with grim realisation. They couldn't keep him safe from stray rounds. She looked at the hundreds of other pods in this plaza alone. Each contained someone else, someone like the boy. The hundreds of people in the streets. They couldn't help any of them

She looked back down at him. She smiled, "Don't worry, we'll be back in a minute." the words tore her.

* * *

><p>The team consolidated at the far end of the plaza. The hammerhead hummed gently behind them.<p>

From the settlement map this plaza ran perpendicular to the route of two main thoroughfares in the colony. It was the only passage on the way to the garrison that was wide enough for the hammerhead to pass.

The team neared the other thoroughfare. A wide road similar to the previous one. Similar in almost every way, apart from the worrying lack of frozen colonists.

The seeker swarms scurried through the air, oblivious to the intruders in their midst. As Shepard gave the order and the team rounded the corner, ready for contact, the only noise was the swarms and the gentle idle humm of the hammerhead.

"Where are they?" Jacob asked. He was behind Shepard, rifle ready.

As they moved up the road they began to hear sounds of collectors in the road. The screeches and buzzing of large wings.

"Heads up. Collectors up ahead. Be ready."

"Shepard, I'm getting a lot of extra signals on the scanner." Garrus said from the hammerhead. "And guess where they've clustered around?.. ."

"The garrison?" she guessed, she knew their destination was just further up the street.

"Bingo. They look like they've met up around the entrance. Maybe they're trying to find a way in?"

Her hopes raised. If they were still trying to find a way in, there might be people still in there.

"Listen up people, there might be people trapped in the security garrison. Collectors are outside. Hit them hard and fast. If you've got biotics, use them any chance you get, we need them out of cover to have any chance of taking them down."

The team sent back their readiness. Shepard ordered the move up.

The security garrison was a squat, solid looking building built back from the line of the road. Only two stories were above ground. A wide, gently sloping access ramp led to a large armoured door built below ground level. She had read the files that small garrisons like this were common for the colonies beyond alliance space, where the local security forces needed a little more protection than usual.

Outside the building were collectors. Over a dozen of them. Two of them were firing their weapons in a continuous stream at the door. The metal was glowing red hot under the constant bombardment. It didn't look like it would have held that much longer.

The collectors spotted them approach. They darted away from the ramp, flying with their skittering wings into positions of cover. Angry yellow beams instantly began to arc through the air to the team's position. Shepard dived for cover, she saw her team do the same.

The hammerhead responded with angry shouts of fire. Rounds traced down the street to the collector forces. Her other teammates had begun to open up as well. Though at this range, all they accomplished was managing to keep the collector's heads down.

"Jack? Jacob?" now would be a good time.

"They're not close enough Shepard, I couldn't grab anything from this far away."

Damn. She thought, she loosed a few shots in the collector's position, more for effect than anything else. In the brief seconds out of cover she managed to get a good scan at their position.

There were pods strewn everywhere in the street and very few people. she looked round, _very_ few people. . . they must have all been loaded in the pods ready to go.

And the collectors were using them for cover. Shit! .They needed to get closer.

"Shit! I'm hit!" Jacob yelled over the comm.

"How bad?" form her cover she looked round, trying to see him.

"I'll be fine, just hurts like hell. Our shields can't hold up to what they're using."

A bright flash of white light told her the eldar ranger had found another position. A collector was thrown to the ground. From a laser blast to the shoulder

Incredibly, it got back up.

"Impressive exoskeleton. Maybe redundant internal systems. Will have to bring some. . ."

"Mordin! we got bigger problems!" She put her hand to her ear. "Garrus, I need you to do something stupid."

"What?"

"Gun the hammerhead to the other side of their position. Get behind them. It may give us the break we need."

"Making us the bait," he followed her line of thought. "can do Shepard."

"All team members, on my mark. Provide covering fire. All biotics and krogan, make your way forward. We need to close the distance.

Another trail of scorched concrete was traced in the ground beside her. The hideous noises their weapons made punctuated the battlefield.

"Do it Garrus!"

"Gunning it, Shepard!" The world went dark for a moment as the hammerhead raced overhead. Main cannon firing. Its engines screamed and kicked up dust and fragments of stone as it passed.

It flew on, streaming over the collector positions. The collectors saw the new threat and turned their attentions to it. Streaks of light impacted its hull. Blackening the paint and scoring the hull. Luckily, nothing scored a hit on one of the engine points.

"Go NOW!" she yelled into the comm and began sprinting forward. The area in between the two sides had quickly become a scarred, blackened waste. Many of the pods had been punctured, the collectors placing little value on the lives of their victims.

The collectors were still focused on the hammerhead. She dived into cover behind one of the punctured pods. The translucent cover on top had been broken, an ugly entrance and exit wound from where the beam had sliced through it, but he main case looked intact.

She heard a scream and looked to her right, Jack continued to run, headfirst into the collector line.

"Jack what the hell are you doing?" she yelled in the comm.

A massive biotic explosion was her reply, engulfing the right of the collector position. It threw several collectors in the air, as well as a huge amount of dust and debris. A couple of them managed to recover and buzz back to cover. Shots bouncing off their barriers. The last wasn't so lucky, caught by one of the imperial's laser weapons, it got knocked off balance. Only for a second, but it was enough.

Jacob seized the opportunity and grabbed it with his biotics, freezing it mid air. His entire body glowing blue as his face turned to a strained grimace. The team filled it with rounds. After a severe beating, it finally ceased moving before falling back to the ground.

The hammerhead distraction was all but over, they refocused their fire back to the team, preventing anyone else from moving out of cover. On the other side, the hammerhead fired at the collectors in the middle. Only sporadically, as it didn't want to risk hitting the team on the other side.

"Slippery bastards! Just stay still!" she heard Zaeed on the comm. It was true, the collectors zipped about cover with unnatural speed. Using their wings to make moves or jumps impossible to them.

Grunt tried to move forward from his cover. A collector beam found him before he made it back. A large section of his front armour was blasted away.

"Agh, coward bugs! Come and fight properly!" he yelled, punctuating his roar with several shotgun blasts. He caught one as it looked out, but its shields absorbed the blast.

Another bright white beam tore through a collector head. The back of its cranium exploded. This one stayed down.

A fusilade of las fire rained on the collector position. they retreated back to cover. Then the large mass of the inquisitor in his armour came barrelling over the upper pavements onto the main thoroughfare. Moving incredibly swiftly for his mass, he ran towards the collector position. His wrist mounted weapon barked and the collector position was sprinkled with explosive detonations.

She seized her chance, "Jacob, Miranda, move up! We can get closer." she didn't wait for a reply, instead moved forward, closing even further on the collectors. Close enough her shotgun was in the position to do some damage. She withdrew it as she sprinted.

The inquisitor arrived at the collectors position. He barrelled into the stack of pods they were using for cover. Unaware, or uncaring that there were people inside. His mass toppled the pile onto the collector behind. It screeched horrifically as several pods came toppling down on it.

It was surprisingly strong, and managed to move the pod pinning it. Its wings started buzzing, hoping to fly away. It didn't get the chance as a huge sword descended into its chest. Its screech reached a higher pitch as its pale glowing eyes winked and died.

The inquisitor saw another and pulled his bolter around to fire. It fired first, the yellow beam impacting his torso as he pulled the trigger. The collector's shields blinked out on the first impact, the second blowing it's torso outwards. The beam stopped and the collector was blown back against another stack of pods.

Eisenmus looked down. His armour seemed intact, though with an ugly gash across the middle. Dented and warped flecks of tortured ceramite scattered around the rent.

These collector weapons were different than the others the people of this galaxy used. They were much more potent.

Trapped between the hammerhead and the ever approaching members of Shepard's team, the collectors tried to flee. Their wings activated and they flew off. Fire from below followed them. Most was deflected by their shields. An unlucky one fell back to the ground. Its wings punctured by the eldar las beam.

It flew threw the air in a corkscrew, over Shepard's head and into a pile of collector pods behind Shepard with a crash. They shifted at its impact. Miranda was the closest and turned quickly to bring her weapon round.

The collector remained still. It looked dead. Shepard held her weapon trained on it. Its eyes, while dimmed to a low ambient glow, still glowed.

Without warning, its eyes lit up and it scrambled upright, wings buzzing erratically. Shepard and Miranda opened fire but its shields held. Violet shimmering appeared over its body.

It swung its weapon round to Miranda and fired. The beam sliced through her shields in a second, before continuing onwards. Puncturing Miranda at the thigh and continuing out her back.

The collector's shields finally collapsed and Shepard pumped several rounds of shotgun blasts at its overly large head. It stumbled, though didn't go down. Shepard heard a roar behind her and Jacob tore into the collector. His body flaring with biotic energy. Shepard saw he was wounded, his right arm was held tight against his chest.

He punched it with the full force of his biotics behind him. The collector went sprawling backwards into the pods. Shepard heard a sick cracking sound as its body twisted upon impact. It slammed into the pods and onto the ground. Shepard took no chances. She emptied her thermal clip into the back of it. Strange liquid began to ooze out where she had ruptured the exoskeleton. The eyes finally went dark.

"Oh god! Miranda!" Jacob said and rushed over, through the kicked up dust and smoke.

Miranda was sprawled on her back . Dirt and dust caked one half of her face and hair. She was conscious, making short gasps and yelps as her face screamed a silent cry of pain. Weapon forgotten, she clutched her thigh with both hands, both red. Her thigh was a mess. Her bodysuit had turned red as her blood slowly began to spread out into an expanding pool on the ground. . .


	12. Fight to the Towers

_Author's note:_

_Well. . .it's been quite a while since the last update hasn't it?_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twelve: Fight to the Towers<strong>

Miranda lay beneath her feet. Jacob was beside her, voicing encouragements. The pool of blood around her expanded out onto the concrete.

"Mordin get out here!" Shepard yelled into the com. "Miranda's wounded!"

She looked over and saw the hatch of the hammerhead pop open. The salarian bounded out and jogged through the downwash caused by the grav engines.

He crossed the distance and kneeled down beside her. His hand made a smooth gesture over her body as he swept his omnitool over the wound. He looked at the results, his brow furrowed. "Cut severe. Wound infused with micro metal metal filaments."

He flicked another series of buttons that Shepard recognised. He reached down and applied a seal of omnigel to the wound. "Omnigel should suspend filaments in place. Give us time to move her to medical facility." his speech hurried.

Shepard looked down at the wounded woman. She was still grunting in pain. "Can she be moved doc?"

"Yes, though wouldn't advise too much, filaments could shake loose. Damage internal organs. Internal bleeding, irreversible."

Shepard brought her hand up to her face, she looked round. They could try the shuttle back to the Normandy but that'd be at least another hour. She looked again at her XO. That did not look like a woman who had another hour.

From the corner of her eye, the molten metal of the garrison blast door glared at her like an angry eye. Yes! She thought, she just hoped someone was home.

"Mordin, Jacob, stay with her! I'll be back." she turned and keyed in the comm. "This is Shepard to team. Secure the area. Miranda's been hit and can't be moved at the moment. Standby."

She hurried over to the precinct. The heavy door had withstood the collector attack until now. She activated the comm

"Is anyone there?" she broadcast to the unyielding metal.

No response.

She looked round the sloping concrete access ramp, no comm panel, no buzzer, nothing. Only coarse peppered concrete. "This is commander Shepard of the Normandy! Is anyone alive in there?"

A terrified voice came through an external speaker. "What are you doing here?"

Her heart lifted, there were survivors! "We're here to stop these collectors!" She tried to find the source of the voice but failed. She spread out her arms, "Open up. I've got wounded out here!"

"Can't just open the door. there's those. . .things."

At the top of the door, in the corner of the threshold she saw a tiny security camera. It was black and rounded, embedded in the frame, "Do I look like one of them?" I'm human, look you can see from your camera!" she looked at it. "Open up quick! I've got wounded!"

A long pause. Miranda's painful moaning sounding behind her.

"Opening now. But be quick! Those little flying things are everywhere."

"Thank you," relieved, she changed channels, "Jacob, Mordin, get Miranda over here quick, we've got people in here!"

"Acknowledged Shepard." Mordin replied.

"This is Shepard," she sent to the rest of the team. "We've found survivors in the garrison. We're taking Miranda in. Maintain position out here. Standby for our return."

A low humm sounded as the large door in front of Shepard slid open on hidden mechanisms. She could see where the bottom teeth of the panel fitted teeth like into indentations in the floor.

The large door opened just enough to allow her to duck through. Mordin came next, followed by Jacob and Zaeed carrying a wounded Miranda between them. The rest remained outside.

The room beyond was long, low and bare. Harsh lighting glowed overhead. Ahead of her were two desks behind armoured glass. They flanked a doorway leading further into the building.

There were people facing her. They were armed. Worried faces stared at her from behind upturned tables and furniture. Five rifles were aimed at her and her companions.

"Put your goddamned guns down!" Zaeed yelled, "Do we look like fucking collectors?!"

The far door opened, and a terrified officer in a security uniform rushed to meet her. "Commander. . I don't " he saluted, as if he forgot earlier. "Lieutenant Kaleson, Discovery security service."

His hair was brown-grey and his eyes were bloodshot. She greeted him "Commander Shepard. Do you have any medical facilities?" getting directly to the point.

He nodded, "there's a med lab down on down the corridor. There's. . "

Shepard wasn't listening, she was waving over Zaeed, carrying Miranda. She was dripping blood over the floor.

"Have one of your men show them where it is." Kaleson nodded and pointed out a young trooper. Him, Jacob and Zaeed disappear off into the building. Miranda dripping a trail of blood in their wake. Shepard turned back to the lieutenant

"You in charge here?" fixing her gaze.

"I think so. . . the captain hasn't reported back. We've had no word from the other precincts on the planet.

"How many of you are here?"

"There's about 20 of us. God, we just hid in here. We couldn't do anything against those things!"

She held out her hand as a calming measure, "It's alright, lieutenant. Mordin?"

The doc stepped forward and detached a satchel from his waist. He opened it and retrieved an small circular object. He held it up to the lieutenant. "Attach these to armour. Provides protection against seeker swarms."

The man nodded, seeming to accept this. "Is that how you weren't affected by them?"

"Yes, that's right. Are you able to fight?"

The realization of Shepard's thought trail quickly spread over the man's face, "you're not. . .we can't stand up to them!" he protested.

Shepard grabbed him. "Listen, this entire colony is going to get abducted unless you do your one job, defend it!"

The man relented "Ok look, . . . We've got a stock of small arms in the armoury."

"Good." She let go. That's a start, she thought. "What about mechs? Every security force has its mech accompaniment."

"There's a couple dozen down in the workshops, but they went offline when the communications did. We've been trying to get them up and running again."

"Hmm. Similar to freedom's progress. Security mechs disabled." Mordin said beside her. He was configuring his omnitool with frightening speed.

"Veetor managed to get them online though. Kasumi!"

"Yes, Shepard?" came the playful response.

"You any good at mechs?"

"I've disabled one or two in my time. "

"I need to get some ONline. Mordin's giving the people the countermeasures so I need you to get this garrison's security mechs online."

"Can do Shepard" the sound of her voice becoming more real. Shepard looked to her right to see the woman standing right beside her. She grinned back. "Best get started." with that the master thief began trotting off into the building to the stunned looks of everyone present.

"Is anyone else freaked out when she does that?" Shepard asked to the room in general, "Leiutenant, I need you and whatever you ready for combat. Collectors are infesting the colony. We need to drive them off."

Before he could protest she brought up the map of Discovery. "This is the settlement. We need these towers online." she highlighted three areas, bright orange circles appeared over the areas. "Why aren't they firing?"

"The alliance woman said there was something wrong with the targeting matrix. . " recognition flashed across the lieutenant's face, "wait, are you with her then?"

"Alliance woman? Who?"

"Ashlinn I think, or Ashley. . . can't remember. She arrived here from the alliance to get the targeting towers online." the lieutenant snorted, "A lot of good they did didn't they. . "

"Ashley Williams? Was that it?" Shepard snapped, her attention caught.

The man waved his head "Could have been, don't remember exactly. She's not here, she went out this morning to try and fix the towers, that's the last I heard of her."

Shepard was thinking. An alliance woman called Ashley? Could it really be her? If it was, and she was out there. . . with those things collecting everyone they could. . .

"EDI, where can I find the targeting matrix for the towers?" a new haste filled her commands.

The synthetic voice timely responded, "From the map of the tower layout the main turret control centre should be roughly 3 kilometres to your north east. I am highlighting the location on your hud, Shepard."

Thanks EDI. Kasumi? you there?"

"Here, Shepard."

"What's it look like?"

"The security mechs were deactivated by a simple killswitch. Should only be a minute or two."

"Good. If you can get them armed and set them to follow my orders."

"Hey!" the lieutenant protested "You can't. . ."

"I can. I'm a spectre. You're under my command starting now as well. Get your people armed and armoured. We're moving out in five minutes to the towers!"

The man balked,"We can't go out there, we'll get slaughtered!"

She grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Hey! What are you doing?" he protested.

"You are security! This is your job! Those are your friends, family and people out there getting mopped up by the collectors. We need them off this rock. You're going to help us do that!"

"I'm sorry . . " came the weak reply.

She let go of him, he was useless, paralysed by fear. Often that's as effective as the swarms.

She looked at the security troopers in the room with them. They were looking at each with unknowing glances.

"Who's next in line of command?" she asked.

"Suppose Lieutenant Collins. . ." a man on the right muttered.

"EDI, get me on this building's speaker. "

"Done, Shepard."

She coughed to test. Her voice resonated through the building. "Lieutenant Collins, this is commander Shepard of the Normandy, report to the reception now!"

She looked back at the sorry excuse of a lieutenant. His eyes lowered.

"You go to the medbay and guard Miranda. She can't be moved, not in her state. Pick some people, maybe four or five and stay here and guard her. Do you understand Lieutenant?"

He managed a pathetic salute. "Yes, Ma'am." and marched off deeper into the precinct. As he left, another man entered. A stocky man with wide eyes and a broken looking nose. He looked at Kaleson going the other way.

"Kaleson, what? . ."

"You Collins?" Shepard interrupted.

"Yeah." he saluted her, this one more curt. "Lieutenant Collins, Discovery security."

"Good, I want you to get the people here armed and armoured up. We're hitting the collectors in five minutes."

"What about the swarms? They've paralysed everyone out there."

She gestured to Mordin, who was now giving several of the tiny sensors to all the people present. "He's one of my team, Mordin. He's with countermeasures. They'll make you invisible to them."

The man nodded, accepting. "What's our objective ma'am?"

Good. Perhaps this man was better than the other one.

"We need to get to the defence tower targeting matrix. From there, we can get these towers back online.

He brought a hand up to his mouth, scratched the side of his check. "You've fought those things already?"

"We have and they die like anything else."

He nodded. "Then tell me what to do. I have friends out there out there. I want these fucking things gone from my home . . .ma'am." he added quickly.

Shepard grinned, "Get your people together and meet us in here. Five minutes. Make sure everyone has those sensors on them before we open the door."

"Yes, ma'am." the man left. He strode over to the others and began giving orders.

Shepard activated her com, "EDI, what's the status of the alliance?"

"I have been unable to establish a connection with alliance command. The collector ship is broadcasting a jamming signal."

"Jamming? How am I talking to you then?"

"I theorize only FTL communication buoy signals are affected. Shortwave radio transmissions are unimpeded."

"This is Shepard to team. Be ready to move out in a few minutes. Our target is the turret control centre about a three kilometers NW of here. We'll have reinforcements from the local security detachment. Troopers and mech support. Standby."

She switched channels, "Zaeed. Where are you? Is Jacob still with you?"

"We're in the bloody medbay with Miranda, where do you think Shepard?"

"How is it?"

A pause. "Can't say, the doctor here can't tell either way. It's close though."

She exhaled, Miranda was out of the mission. "Zaeed, tell Jacob to get back up here. You stay with Miranda, we can't move her. I've sent several others to guard her. When we've taken off, close the door. We'll be back for you later."

You wot? Why'd you need Jacob and not me?"

I need biotics to help fight these collectors. He comes. You guard my XO."

"You think I'm just going to sit here and . . ."

"Yes! You will. That's an order." she cut the transmission.

* * *

><p>The ends of Glaedara's robe flowed in the breeze. Some lower segments of her armour had been splattered with collector ichor. She had cleaned the spear. It shone again in the daylight.<p>

She was uneasy. Her senses informed her of something hiding at the periphery of her perception.

She had looked round the courtyard for any sign, ordered Eleiyra to do another sweep, had even reached out with her mind. ..

That's where she had sensed it, she recalled. There was something here, she knew it.

There was something here.

She could sense something. Something familiar. Something alien.

She quieted herself and slowed her breathing. She tentatively stretched out in her mind's eye again. Her fingers silently danced to the instinctive protective sigils and enchantments that she must place upon herself when seeing more than was there.

At first, a bright light illuminated everything to a glimmering brilliance. It was the trinket, she concluded. Orbit to surface was a minuscule distance in stellar terms, but it did allow her some measure of observation.

Next to her she saw the dim glow of the inquisitor's aura. His presence cast a shadow under the bright illumination from above.

Save it wasn't actually a shadow, more like a psychic wake projecting outwards from the monstrous energy being poured out over their heads.

There! A fellow shadow! Half glimpsed.

She dared not look at it. To look upon something is for that thing to find its way back to you. She merely felt the relative darkness it produced, the shape, the amplitude. . .

Yes! She was sure. . .a ripple of something that wasn't there before. She'd suspected ever since they'd landed, but now! Confirmation!

Retreating back inwards she looked up. Up at the ugly bloated ship hanging over their heads

Maybe. . .

"What are you doing?" an accusing voice called to her.

She looked down and saw the monkeigh inquisitor standing before her. How long had she been looking at the ship?

"Searching. . ." she replied. The whisper of the warp was here.

She thought. Should he know? Does he know already? If not, should she reveal this new insight to him? What was to be lost, or gained from sharing this information.

She looked at the only other known psychically adept person in this galaxy. He stared back, a blank, expressionless face of lines and silver grey hair stared back.

"I sense the warp here." she said.

An eyebrow raised. His attention was caught. He did not know, she saw. This told her much. He was not as powerful as her. The presence would have been too faint for him.

She took some small comfort in this, for it meant that whatever produced it had a weak warp signature. Perhaps we can rule out the daemon then.

She hoped.

The inquisitor stepped closer. "The warp?" he said.

She nodded, the movement of her helm moving up and down was with a grace that would have been unattainable for even the most elegant monkeigh.

"Its trace was skimming the edges of my mind since we arrived. It is very faint, unnoticeable, save if not for the warp being so quiet."

The inquisitor was silent for a moment. His armour silently humming as it responded to small micro-adjustments in his stance.

"What do you intend to do?" He said, grasping the main question.

"For now, nothing. There is nothing save for the merest whisper of the empyrean."

"I couldn't sense anything. Are you sure about this?" Those eyes bored into her.

She glared. " I surpass your abilities human. I know what I see."

* * *

><p>The heavy blast doors of the garrison opened up. Lieutenant Collins and Shepard stepped out into the destruction unleashed in the courtyard beyond. The Lieutenant examined the outside of the blast door as he passed. It was a molten mess. Further on, the corpses of those things attacking the colony lay in the street, along with hundreds of those pod things they used to gather up the people.<p>

It appalled him, enraged him, his home looking like this. Down the street, smoke issued from several areas, no doubt where this woman's team had been.

He unclenched his fist.

"How many are you?" He asked the commander. His unease grew at the lack of visible alliance marines or any heavy support.

Hands on hips she stood beside him, she paused as in thought for a moment, "Now, nine of us, with the two in the med bay." She turned to face him, "How did you escape the swarms?" she asked, "Everyone else has been frozen."

Collins shrugged. "Back before they arrived, a massive signal put out every one of the colony's systems. All the mag-locks disengaged, there was no where to hide. . "

He looked back at the garrison building. "We'd be the same. Only we were running a drill at the time. We were testing lockdown systems, any other time. . .." he trailed off.

"Is that Cerberus?" he asked, his voice betraying his unease at the insignia plastered on the side of the tank.

He heard the commander sigh beside him,

"Long story, Cerberus brought me back from the dead. Currently, they're the only ones at the moment actually doing anything about these missing colonies." She threw her arms out wide, gesturing to the city beyond. To the hundreds, thousands of pods, each with their own occupant.

Collins nodded, accepting. "I don't care for Cerberus. But these things need to die." He looked at one of the fallen collectors with a face of contempt. Its eyes were dead and dull. He'd seen them a couple of times through the cameras in the garrison.

He looked over the rest of her team. Doubts remained, Nine of them, nine. Collins was no military strategist, he was merely part of a domestic security force. But that didn't seem like good odds against an invasion. Still part of him raged against these things. His town, his home was in ruins. The bastards would pay.

He looked towards the tank Shepard had brought with her. His brow furrowed. What was that? he wondered. . .

"Ma'am," he asked pointing, "Who are they?"

She looked where he was pointing, she understood his confusion. Eisemus and Glaedara were standing near the rear of the hammerhead. They resembled the most horribly miss-matched pair in the galaxy. Him, in his metal-grey hulking armour, his head was comically small in the plates and layers if his suit. Glaedara by contrast held her posture like a bride, spear still in hand, cloak and detailed clothing trailing in the low wind through the street.

They were talking, they couldn't hear what they were saying at this distance.

"Another long story. They're with us. And they're determined." She looked at him, "you don't keep up with the news much out here do you?"

He shook his head.

She keyed in commands and a high resolution map of the settlement appeared over her arm.

She stood opposite Collins, the two of them stared down at the holo-map of the settlement.

"There." she said, pointing to the towers. " My intel says the main turret control centre's there. Is that correct?"

The man nodded, scratched his stocky chin. "Yes, but that's not where they were doing all the work." he reached over the map and highlighted another area, close to the main turret control centre.

"Here." he said, pointing, "There's an access point to the towers here. That's where the problem was, something about targeting. . ." he shrugged, "Can't tell you anything else, wasn't high enough on the totem pole." he reached over and drew out a route with his hand and confirmed it. His highlighted route shone on the map while the rest of the surrounding urban fabric faded.

"That's the best way to get there, in my opinion ma'am." he added quickly.

Shepard looked at the map. His route was sound. It was slightly longer than the crow flies but avoided a couple of nasty open areas. She nodded.

"Looks good, lieutenant." she configured with her controls. "I'm sending this route to your security forces. Are your people ready to move?"

He bit his lip, then gave a confident nod. "Ready as they'll be ma'am. None of us thought we'd have to fight something like this."

She grinned and deactivated the omni tool, "Welcome to the club."

* * *

><p>Thump, thump , thump.<p>

A rhythmic vibration in the ground heralded the arrival of the security force's mech accompaniment. She turned to see the mechs march up the ramp and out of the subterranean storage shed like a battalion of troops. They marched beside each other in perfect rows. Every footfall in unison.

The white humanoid shapes of LOKI mechs made up the majority. They held their weapons across their chest, like soldiers on parade. Amongst them were over a dozen or so of the dog mechs, with a couple of heavy YMIRs just emerging out of the garrison. Her spirits lifted at those, they'd need their firepower.

Like the commanders of some strange army, they emerged behind the rest. Their bulky forms and glowing red eye visible over the tops of the others.

Atop one of them, perched on its shoulder like a parrot, was Kasumi.

Shepard heard her voice over the comm, "Got your mechs online Shepard. They should respond to your team now as well as these guys."

As one, all the mechs stopped moving. In a move that would have made any drill sergeant weep with pride, they lowered their weapons to their sides and each gave a salute. Every hand raised to their heads at exactly the same moment.

"Now there's a sight. . ." said Garrus, shaking his head, amusement in his eye.

Despite being far at the back, perched on one of the big mechs, and her face mostly obscured by her hood, Shepard guessed the thief was grinning.

She was right.

"Thank you," she replied, "Now get off the mech please."

* * *

><p>Collins stood on the access ramp. The commander had left to see to her own people. He heard someone approach behind him.<p>

"Sir?"

It was Sergeant Adams,

"Yes, Adams?" he replied.

"We're all set sir. Ready to move."

The lieutenant turned. He looked at Adams. He knew him well. A bit of a temper and a bit of a smartass, but a friend nonetheless.

He saw the trepidation on his friend's face. Horizon was a quiet piece of the universe, not many people caused trouble here. The man shifted uncomfortably, wearing armour that hadn't been put under battlefield stress and carrying a weapon that he'd never fired in anger.

"I can see you're nervous."

He hesitated before confessing, "Yes sir."

"I'd be worried if you weren't." he pointed out to Shepard and her team gathered in the courtyard. "Just remember, those nine people fought their way here through those damn things. Think what another twenty could do."

"But, sir. . .respectably, she said she's Commander Shepard! Isn't she, you know . . .the best there is?"

Collins nodded, "Yeah, from I heard about her she is. .." he paused, "but remember, she's with us. We've got the best people on _our_ side!"

Another trooper approached them from inside. Collins recognised him as well, Private Hing

"Your rifle, sir." he said, handing the lieutenant the Avenger assault rifle.

"Thank you Hing." he replied. He went through all the weapon checks. Satisfied, he took the heat sinks the man as offering as well.

He exhaled, looked again at the destruction beyond on this side of the garrison's heavy blast door.

"Right, tell the rest of them to get out here."

Adams nodded "yes sir," and retreated back into the garrison. Hing followed him.

* * *

><p>Miranda lay on the medical table. She opened her eyes. She saw Zaeed standing nearby.<p>

"Messani? . ." she found her own voice hoarse and weak.

The mercenary turned.

"Ah good you're awake. Tough bitch aren't you. It was touch and go there for a minute."

"Wha. .whe?. ."

"The doctor says you're not to be moved. Says he removed a crapton of metal shavings from your thigh." he shrugged, " He thinks he's got them all."

Then she remembered about the wound, and the pain returned. She hissed and forced her head upwards.

She was in a medical room. On a bed. She looked down at herself. Her previously pristine white suit was covered in blood from the waist down. Her left leg was bare, the fabric cut open to get at the wound. It was covered in a cloth cover. Her hand began to reach. .

"I wouldn't do that. . ." Zaeed warned. "I had a front row seat of the procedure. I'm not going to lie, it's not a pretty sight."

Miranda ignored him and reached for it. She pulled it away. She gasped. A dirty, swollen wound protruded from her thigh. There were more stitches than she could count.

"How long? . ."

"About ten minutes. . . you haven't been out long." Zaeed produced a hip flask from his waist and took a swig.

With a voice as weak as air, "can you pass that over?"

He looked at her for a second, then laughed. A slow rumble that filled the room. "Not a chance, the amount of drugs you're on this'd kill you more surely than that wound." he put it away.

"aww shit!" she gasped. A stab of pain pinpricked her leg. She groped at her ear. She couldn't find her earpiece.

"Took that too." Zaeed said. "You're too weak to be of any use. Don't worry, the mission's still on. Shepard's taking the fight to the collectors as we speak. Tough bird that one."

"You'd know." Miranda grunted, still dazed by pain and drugs.

His head rotated round, "What's that supposed to mean?"

His voice was grating on her mind. Did he have to be so loud? Her head felt like it was going to explode.

In a spat of annoyance, she snapped, "I know what the illusive man has on you Massani, why you chose to come on the mission."

"What? That I want that bastard Vido killed? Yeah, I do, so what? . ."

"No," she replied, glaring daggers at him, "The other reason."

Nothing for a second, then with a voice deep with menace. "He told you?"

"No, pieced it tog. .eghh. .gether myself." the stab of pain sprang up from her leg.

Zaeed glowered at Miranda. He took out a cigarette and lit it. smoke began to filter up to the roof of the medbay.

"Well? Does she know?"

She sighed. "No, haven't told her."

He inhaled again, and the end of the cigarette lit up. He leaned in close. Smoke swirled about his mouth as he spoke.

"Any other time. . .any other person knowing what you do, I'd kill you now where you lie. But that'd be stupid, 'cause I promised Shepard I'd look out for you till she got back. That's what keeping you alive right now." he took another puff. Smoke blew into Miranda's face. "Well that and the pay so large I could buy a fucking moon with it."

He flicked the cigarette over his shoulder, turned and left the medbay. Leaving Miranda lying on the slab, pain stabbing at her wound.

* * *

><p>Outside the thick, air sealed walls of the garrison, the new swelled strike force began to move out from the precinct courtyard.<p>

Shepard and Collins had discussed in detail how best to deploy their resources. Collins had stressed to Shepard that, while most of his people wanted the collectors gone as much as Shepard's team, they only had very limited combat experience.

She had accepted this and recommended that her team take the lead with the lieutenants men behind, making up the main body of the force. The mechs would be deployed at the rear and the sides. Useful as warnings for attacks and buying the organic troops a little more time.

They began to advance down Edyre Street, an axial thoroughfare taking them to the district with the towers. The advance went initially smooth. The quiet stillness of the colony was punctured by the sounds of several dozen people and mechs marching along the road. They continued to see the collector pods everywhere.

They carefully, deliberately made their along the street. They scanned every window, every entrance way.

They made it over halfway before they were seen.

A wail erupted from somewhere off to Shepard's left. She recognised it for what it was, a husk. Moments later, she heard another from a different direction, then another

"Oh, that can't be good." garrus voiced over the comm.

"Everybody be ready. Sounds like husks" she radioed to the group. "keep them at a distance, they don't have any weapons but they'll tear you to shreds if you let them near you."

"Yes, Ma'am" came the crisp response of Collins, He had promise, Shepard thought to herself, however his real test was yet to come.

"Contact! Left side." she heard a trooper over the comm. She heard a spurt of rifle fire behind her, one of the locals had opened up on a husk shambling out of a side street. His comrades joined him as more started to arrive out from behind. Soon, the burst of fire became a fusilade.

She spotted another couple sprinting from another street. She raised her weapon and dropped them. Even as she did so, she heard the others begin to fire as they saw targets. She heard the 'whoomp' of a biotic field collapsing to her right. She glimpsed a husk sprawling over the ground, its legs crushed to uselessness.

Now they were pouring from three side streets. . . . no wait, she saw more in the windows above her. She raised her weapon and sprayed the facade. A couple were blasted back by her fire. They may have yelled, she wouldn't have known. Flecks and pieces of wall debris came raining down to the street. In seconds the street had turned to a firefight.

In a brief respite she bounded on top of a grav-car parked in the middle of the street. Here she could see further. Her team was at the front of the column, dispatching the husks with precision. A shockwave resonated through her as the hammerhead's gun opened. A section of building collapsed, obliterating several husks skulking about there.

Further back things weren't so rosy. Shepard was well familiar with tactical positioning, and could see the locals were having a much harder time. The husks were getting dangerously closer and closer to them before they were taken out.

Movement caught her eye. Further again, she could see figures back where they'd come from. They had gathered in the street behind her force. The locals hadn't seen them! They were too occupied with the ones from the left!

She hit the comm. "This is Shepard. Keep moving! We've got things massing behind us. If we don't move they'll surround us. Collins, get your people moving forward. Shepard out!" she switched channel

"Glaedara?"

"Yes Shepard?"

"Move to the back of our force. We've got things massing behind us. You deal with these things well. Guard our rear!"

"As you wish, Shepard." came the cool reply. Shepard wondered if she got agitated about anything.

She looked down from her position on the car. She saw her team below.

"Move forward!" she called to them, "Don't stop, don't let them hold us up from the. . "

At that moment she spotted the dark buzzing forms of collectors ahead of the column. They snaked in ridiculously fast.

"Oh shit!" she growled and dived off her cover. Her previous position was scoured by one of the collector newcomers. Tortured noises of rent metal filled her ears as she scrambled to her feet and slammed behind the central street divider.

"Contact ahead. Collectors!" she heard Garrus on the comm."

"Thanks for the heads up!" she snapped and peeked round the cover. The collectors had landed further down the road, blocking the path forward. Her strike team was trapped between the husks in the rear and a barrage of yellow death ahead.

She looked round for the biotics in the group, that seemed to be the way to deal with these things.

"Jack?" she commed, "Get yourself up to the front."

"Fucking hold on!" came the reply, Shepard heard an explosion off in the distance, followed by the same explosion over the comm with half second of delay. "Be there in a sec Shepard."

Shepard looked round for Jacob, he'd a bandage on his arm but he was still using it. He loosed off a couple shots at the collectors with his pistol before diving back out of reach of their return fire.

"Can you get them from here Jacob?" she asked over the gunfire. A fresh smell of burning stone filled her nostrils as the collectors fired on her position.

He shook his head, "Sorry, Shepard. Can't focus from back here, need to get closer."

Another screeching beam overhead punctuated the point. The beam viscerated a LOKI at the waist behind her.

"We'll use the mechs!" Shepard said and opened a call to Kasumi." Kasumi! Bring the LOKIs forward. We need them to lay down fire support."

"On your call shepard!" she replied cheerfully.

"Team, this is Shepard. The Loki's are redeploying to the front to help with collectors. Hold your own until we deal with this.

"Argh!"

A yell beside her told her Jacob was too slow at getting back into cover. She snapped her head round, saw him lying on the ground.

He still held his right arm close. A patch of blackened armour smouldered on his shoulder.

"Jacob! you hurt?"

"No, I'm all right. Just winged me" he looked at the smoking graze on his shoulder. Blue hazy flecks surrounded him as his shields struggled to re-engage.

You were lucky!" she said and fired a burst to the collectors. It did nothing, the collector spotted her aim and zoomed back into cover.

The volume of gunfire, already high, become a storm. A horizontal blizzard of coloured death flew by above her head.

The mechs have arrived, she realised.

She looked behind her to see the Loki mechs walking up towards the front, spraying the collector position with fire.

She watched their work, they were doing their job. Withering fire sprayed the collector positions. Areas of their line were absorbed in dust clouds of vaporized rock and concrete. A couple of collectors darted out and back snapping off shots.

Despite the onslaught, their shields absorbed all the attacks. Their beams connecting with the Lokis. Shredding torso sections and amputating mechanical limbs. Three mechs went down. Struck by collector fire. Smoke filled gaping holes where their foreign weapons had eaten through the mechs' armour.

"Don't look like they're doing much commander!" Jacob yelled beside her.

"They're keeping them busy, we can make a dash for it."

"I'm with you Shepard." he said, reloading his pistol, his other arm held tight to his chest.

"Fuck it, why not, I'm in too!"

Shepard turned, on her other side was Jack, she'd made it up to the front. Shepard could see the residual glow of biotic energy around the woman. She nodded to her.

"Right, on my command, move up to the next cover." her hand raised, "Kasumi, on my command order the mechs to cover us. "

"Right you are, Shepard."

"Now!" Shepard yelled, sprinting out of cover as her robotic support opened up.

* * *

><p>Towards the rear of the strike force. Lieutenant Collins smashed in the head of a husk with his rifle.<p>

"Traska!" he yelled, " To your right!"

The trooper barely turned her head before the thing collided with her. She fell hard on the ground. Collins brought his rifle up and peppered the thing with rounds. It screeched and spasmed and died. Its putrid corpse falling on top of the beleaguered trooper.

She hefted the corpse off her and took Collins hand as he helped her up.

"Thanks." she panted, her breathing was shallow .

"Later!" he replied and scoured the area for threats. None immediate, but he shot a couple crawling out of a doorway for good measure. They'd have got Micson if he hadn't spotted them.

"MEDIC!" came the now familiar cry. He looked round. Saw Dobson and Robert standing over the body of another. The trooper lay on the ground, his helmet torn off beside him. A spasming smoking nearby husk the likely reason.

He was about to call Farrel, one of the two medics they had when Robert was thrown to the floor. A husk had appeared out of nowhere and barrelled into the back of him. The man was thrown to the ground, the husk latching onto his back.

Before Collins could react it stabbed the trooper. Its clawed fingers pierced the back of Robert's neck. The man went limp and the thing pulled its claws out, stained red.

It then died as Dobson screamed, firing wildly into the monster that had killed their friend. Collins baulked. Robert's dead. . .

"Leiutenant?" the voice in his ear didn't allow him to grieve. Something in his mind recognised the voice as Traska's, "More coming over the ledge!"

He looked to the left flank, he saw more of the things climbing towards him. He nearly tripped over one at his feet. Gunfire raged around him. There was a scream somewhere. He fired. He fired into the encroaching mass. He realised he was yelling. A couple went down to his fire, he winged a third, but it kept coming

It was poised to strike, its arm drew back. Collins could see each terrible clawed finger. Each ending in a gruesome hook, each about to tear him apart.

Then the thing's head disappeared from its shoulder. The head rolled on comically from its former body.

Collins registered a flash of movement from behind the falling corpse, speeding off to his left. He looked, and saw that strange woman with the fancy clothing sprint towards the rear of the column. Almost absent-mindedly, she sliced another without breaking stride. Collins didn't see any ranged weapons on her, only her spear. He thought her mad. She impaled another creature terrorizing one of his troopers. They didn't even slow her down.

* * *

><p>Shepard, Jacob and Jack barrelled over their cover. Overhead, bullets streamed from the autotragetting systems of the Loki and Ymir mechs, trusting in the the mech's auto IFF not to hit them, they sprinted across the scarred ground.<p>

Jack fired a burst from her pistol, screaming obscenities as she went. Her balled her fist towards one taking cover. She growled and pulled towards her. Further down the street the vehicle her target used for cover caved in under the spatial pressures. The shockwave of space imploding pulled the collector onto the bent roof. A mech managed to target it and sprayed a burst into its carapace. The mech's victory was short-lived, it immediately exploded from the waist up. Dispatched by one of the collector's fellows. It dived back to cover. The collector on the vehicle roof flew into the air. Dented, but unharmed. It buzzed round in a spiral, avoiding all fire before retreated back behind its fellows.

"Fucking tough these things, " Jack grinned, she glowed blue, "'Till you get close . . ."

Shepard looked round, Jack was crouching beside her, "Jack, our plan right now is to get you as close to those things as possible."

The small, glowing woman gave a wide grin in reply.

"Garrus, bring the hammerhead up, spray their position." She saw the tank further back along the street. It was blasting at husks approaching from the left. She wondered how the local forces were doing, she'd passed more than a couple of their bodies already.

"Can do, Shepard." came the stoic reply.

Moments later the tank unleashed a fusillade of shots towards the collector position. Rounds shredded the vehicles the collectors were hiding behind. Several buzzed out to new positions. Some retreated back to cover.

Their fire stopped, but only for a second.

A second was all Jack needed. She was already moving, biotic flare ablaze, screaming at the top of her lungs and charging directly towards the collector position. Back in cover, Shepard hauled Jacob up and over,

"Come on, move!" she yelled.

* * *

><p>The collectors had Shepard and her team pinned down far further down the street. The area in between the two lines was criss crossed with fire and smoke.<p>

Screaming was heard from further on as the security forces and mechs tried to handle the husk onslaught.

Kasumi liked it up here, behind the collector lines. It was much more peaceful. No one was yelling, or shouting or getting shot.

Yes, much more peaceful over here.

That would change, she thought as she held her newest special package close to her chest.

She was cloaked, able to sneak round the collector positions. She'd toyed with them at the start but quickly learn that these things don't mess around. As soon as she de-cloaks, she's almost certainly dead - unless the other guy goes down first that is, which was the whole point.

She was crouched further up the road from the collectors, all their backs were to her. They were focused on the rest of the team trying to get close.

From here she saw their movements. Their wings beating into action whenever they moved. Their feet rarely touched the ground, hovering a foot or so off the ground.

It was impressive. It gave them such grace, she thought to herself.

She snuck closer. The beating of their wings increasing in volume. Shots from her own team went over her head. Careful, she thought, you don't want to get killed by your own guys do you?

She watched the collectors for a short time. Gauging their movements, trying to determine a pattern.

She picked the one of the right. It didn't move that much compared to the others. With what she had in mind, she needed to get close for it to work

Really close!

She crouched over the road, careful not to make a sound on the pavement. She edged her way closer. She put cover between her and her target for as long as she could. Her cloak was nearly perfect, but she still didn't want to take chances.

IT was close. Only a few feet away.

It moved out to fire. She froze. She waited. The collector zipped round cover and fired out towards the rest of the team. Kasumi saw it clip Grunt in the shoulder.

It was moving to cover.

Now! she thought.

She lunged towards the thing, arms outstretched. Her package held out before her.

She collided with the collector. Her cloak disengaged, unable to keep a stable stealth field with her attached to the collector.

She leapt back, activating her cloak again. The thing spun around. Inhumanly fast! It searched the scene. Nothing, nobody there.

Kasumi was running, running as fast as she could manage. She saw a vehicle. She slid behind it, putting its mass between her and the collector.

She felt rather than heard the explosion. She could feel it through the ground, through her bones. The collector exploded in a shower of fragments and dust.

Small fragments of collector and road peppered the ground around her. It sounded almost like rainfall.

She grinned as she looked back. A burnt, smoking scorch mark in the road was all that was left of her handiwork. Bits of vehicle were peppered with shrapnel.

When Kasumi had been asked to get the mechs online, she'd went down to the storage warehouse in the lower levels of the garrison. Along the way, there had been a tempting door that had said 'Armoury' written in daring, stencilled letter across the front.

How could she resist?

She giggled at the destruction she'd caused and sprinted off to safety. The collector's friends were zipping round. Investigating what had caused the sudden disappearance of their comrade.

* * *

><p>A sickening sound like ruptured bone mixed with static filled the air. Shepard peeked out around her cover. pistol drawn. In the distance, she saw one of the collectors rise up into the air, arms outstretched almost in worship. A bright glow appeared over the collector's body, sickly yellow cracks like veins protruded from its carapace. Wasting no time, she emptied her clip into the open form.<p>

Her rounds never made it, the simmering violet barrier stopped them all. It continued to rise up into the air.

"Anyone else seeing this?" she sounded into the comm. But before a reply came, a bright flash of light erupted from its eyes. The veins grew brighter, something akin to electricity darted across its surface.

Incredulously, it then stepped out of cover, sickly yellow light pouring from its new cracks and eyes. She fired, but to no effect. The violet shielding took the brunt of her weapon.

"What the hell? . . ." she wondered.

Then, with a noise like thunder,

"Sheparddd. . . "

She baulked, her name? That had come from the collector! They could talk?!

Never mind that, she thought, how the hell does it know my name?!

"Hey, Shepard. . ." Garrus commed through, "Did that thing just . . ."

". ..standby" was all she could manage while her brain processed this new development. She risked a look out. The collector remained standing in the road. Oblivious to the firefight raging around it.

It turned back to its cohort. "Preserve Shepard's body if possible." it said in the same booming voice. It began to walk back to its cover, but got caught in the shoulder by Hakkon. It stumbled ever so slightly and turned round to view this new threat.

"Focus on Shepard!" it commanded. It wings deployed and it zipped up into the sky, towards the magos.

* * *

><p>The collector zipped to the right, skirting behind the supports of a building balcony. Its weapon traced a yellow line through the air with screeching noise.<p>

Behind a pod Hayt crouched, he saw the yellow beam pierce the pod's canopy. A crash of broken casing and the stench of burning material filled his nose. The security guard beside him rose to respond. He drew up over the pod and fired a burst of shots towards the collector.

A yellow beam arced through the air and tore through the man's head. A sickening sound and smell filled the air as his limp body fell backwards. His shields failing utterly under the force of the beam.

Hayt spied another pod to his left. He pushed and rolled to relative safety. He heard the beam cross near him. He darted his head out and in on the other side of the pod, and caught a glimpse of the enemy. Another beam was his response.

He wasted no time. He rose and fired, his shots hitting one of them. His hellgun was in burst mode. Single shots didn't drop these xeno. One connected at the thigh, the others in the chest. The xeno scattered to the ground, limbs flailing, wings buzzing. It made a terrible noise.

He darted back to cover. Suddenly an impact rocked the cover. He looked, one of them had landed on his pod! Its movements sudden and twitchy, it registered him with its four dead glowing eyes.

It raised its weapon to him.

Acting entirely on instinct. He lunged to one side, scraping into the concrete ground. His start point scoured with the collector's weapon.

He landed on his side, weapon pointed in the creature's direction. He fired blindly. His shots hit, one impacting on the creature's gun, disintegrating the front section of the weapon. The others impacted on its body. They impacted the torso of the creature, showering splinters of chitin and armour.

Some kind of violet shimmering surrounded the creature's form for a second. It studied its weapon and wounds for a split second, as if surprised at them. Hayt hadn't time for pause, as the creature then threw its ruined weapon away and flew at him, wings active.

He rolled right, loosening his scabbard and unsheathing his sword. He swung as he rolled, bringing it in a wide arc. The mechanisms of the blade sprang to life as it trailed over his head. He managed to catch the end of one of its arms with the blade. As the edge connected, the violet shimmering appeared over the creature once again for a moment before dissipating. The arm flew away from the rest of the creature.

This bought him time to recover. The creature was now in front of him, its movements jittery. Without warning it thrashed at him with its good arm. Hayt dodged and struck back. This time the creature was ready and used its wings to escape the blow. It returned, barrelling into the stormtrooper. He avoided the brunt of the attack but was clipped by the pass. Unbalanced, it swung its arm round at his head.

He dropped. The blow passed inches over his head. He thrust his sword out towards it. It swerved, but the sword caught it in the side. It drew an ugly gash down the side of its abdomen.

It stumbled. Its interior ichor spilling out. Its wings began to buzz erratically.

It remained upright, its glowing, menacing eyes staring at the stormtrooper. For a second they stood facing each other on the concrete. Hayt's sword held out in front, the creature's hand clawed hand spread out.

Still it came at him. Its speed still like lightning. Hayt countered the first swipe with its claw. Its yellow eyes burned at him. The creature wheeled round. Hayt rose and swiped again. A finger trailed off the things claw.

It zipped forward, knocking into the stormtrooper. He landed. He rolled as it swiped again. Brought up a desperate block. Regained his footing. He dodged its next strike and thrust. He stabbed it in the shoulder A sickly substance issued from the wound as he pulled the blade out. The collector reeled. Hayt gave it no chance. As quick as he could he thrust again into its chest. The force imbued blade sliced through its abdomen with crunches and a nauseating hiss of cauterized ichor. The creature croaked.

Breathing heavily, he muttered thanks to the Emperor. Hayt searched and retrieved his hellgun. Looking round he saw the team nearby, they still had trouble with a couple more of the xenos. He started in their direction. The broken body of the collector remained where it lay.

* * *

><p>Incoming hostile!<p>

His sensor spirits told him of the new combatant closing on his position. He checked its location and altitude..

The Collector, he concluded. The one he had hit in the centre street.

Hakkon ceased giving supporting fire on the husks and turned to meet the new threat.

"Incoming collector, lord. Am heading to engage." he called to the inquisitor further back.

"Acknowledged." came the reply.

Without needing to turn, the magos observed the newcomer. It flew through the air towards him. His cogitators were already predicting likely landing spots, and he put himself in the optimal position for interception. His sensors were continuing to monitor the creature, as they were every other target in his vicinity.

A ping sounded.

This new one was different. Higher energy readings surrounded it. Radiation levels were higher.

He was in the optimum position for engaging the xeno as it landed. Unexpectedly, it turned up at the last second and came straight at him. He brought up a mechadendrite. The collector dodged the blow at the last minute. It came again, another machine limb was brought up. It batted it out of the way.

He managed to grasp the creature's weapon with one of them. The creature fired the weapon. It scoured dangerous beams in the floor and up to the sky as the two wrestled for control.

A hit loosened the creature's grip. Its weapon flew across the rooftop.

Now weaponless, it advanced directly at him.

He threw the two other limbs to the right, their momentum alone carrying the rest of him out of the way of the collector. His combat suites had shut down most other processes, concentrating their computing power on prediction and reaction responses to this fight.

Its clawed hand swiped. He had predicted that and had brought a limb to block. Behind his limb shield, he fired with his combine. Three shots impacted the thing before it spun away.

It spoke. It spoke with a booming voice.

"Human. Male. Genetic robustness proven."

This was unexpected. The processors in Hakkon's cortex stirred over the development.

"You speak xeno?" Hakkon called back, wary to keep his guard up.

The creature seemed to ignore him, its eyes glowed brighter. The magos detected

"Extensive cybernetic modification. Minimal instance of cell degeneration. . .Promising possibility."

The two remained in a blaze of combat. Swirling limbs of metal and chitin crashed into each other as they duelled over the pavement.

Hakkon shut down all active scanning in the face of this xeno. It possessed digital warfare suites.

He spooled up all secondary drives. Swarms of digital defenders and vanguards rose from the depths of their programming to defend him. Their spirits flaring.

The magos could sense a foreign presence. A digital signature. Its form was misshapen and wrong. It issued commands and functions completely alien to the magos.

He deployed his loyal programs to intercept these foreign bodies.

They clashed around them in an expanding digital sphere. Frenzied invisible battles of white-golden machine spirits collided with the sickly yellow monstrosities this thing was broadcasting.

The physical battle raged on. The Magos' computation centres running scenarios on likely combat patterns or attacks. One of the creature's claws tore at his robe. It scraped unyielding metal beneath.

His attention was split between the physical and virtual. On eye looking at the collector. One eye looking at the digital campaign.

Seconds had passed since the fight had begun, but the virtual war had been raging for decades. Hakkon struggled to write replacement code for those destroyed in the attrition. He had relative decades of information on this thing's digital warfare strategies.

He ran a comparison program to see if he'd encountered anything like these strategies on Mars. Another second ticked by while it worked. In that time, the pair had traded several more blows and thousands of loyal programs had been consumed in the fight.

The program finished. A blow struck him in the shoulder. No pain registered, he didn't feel it any more.

Only one related instance was found. One that had happened very recently.

++Instance: AI identified as EDI; countermeasures to Magos Hakkon.++

A microsecond of hesitation as he checked the two digital patterns. They were an almost perfect match.

But this one possessed much more power than the shipboard AI.

That split second of hesitation had cost him. His combat routines registered a powerful blow to his torso. Safety programs shut down the remaining organic organs to save them from further stress. Temporary backup systems booted up to take their place.

His mechadendrites reconfigured to blades. He slashed them in a preset pattern in front of him, buying time.

In this respite he consulted another program that had alerted him. It was labelled a high priority status. At the same time he marshalled his remaining hunter programs to him, to meet the enemy's digital host again.

The new program's alert sent a system wide warning through his circuits.

++Warp signature detected ++

It was the program he had started back when they first arrived, back at the cathedral. Trace amount of ozone and warp signatures were detected around the periphery of the shear zone. He had left the spirit running in the hopes of finding something else.

It had found something else.

Omnissiah, this changed everything. This thing, AI or whatever it was, had a small connection to the warp. It was faint, but it was there.

Hakkon shut down everything. Every active scan, every exploratory probe, every offensive in his digital campaign against the thing. Within milliseonds, the magos went from a flaring centre of digital activity to a virtual black hole.

He understood the power of the warp in the corruption of holy machine code. He would not allow it to enter his systems.

He had to contact the inquisitor. He went to vox, but his internal communications suite had been shut down to prevent intrusion.

He looked round. With his eyes. He was effectively blind. The constant stimuli and information flowing into his processors was reduced to the narrow vision of visual cameras on the front of his head. His combat routines continued to run, though much less effective with the sudden drop in available information.

The thing spoke. "You have disengaged."

"You are warpspawn!" he countered and thrust. The collector dodged out of the way. Hakkon fired at it, it spun on its wings and dodged his aim. It was too quick!

Hakkon retreated from the fight. He had several seconds at most. He glimpsed the inquisitor some ways off. He protected the front team's flank from the husks, his powerful sword slicing them clean in two.

With no vox, There was only one course left open to the magos.

"INQUISITOR!" his external speakers blared at maximum volume. The man turned.

"WARPSPAWN DETECTED, LORD!" the magos quickly turned to see the enemy fly at him. His cogitators told him it would reach him in two point three seven seconds.

"I REQUIRE ASSISTANCE, LO-" the speaker skipped as the thing crashed into the magos. Claws scraping at the machinery under the magos' robe. They flailed on the ground in a flurry of limbs. Hakkon pummelled his assailant with his extra limbs. The thing suffered damage, but it clung to the tech priest.

Its hand flared in violet energy and its fist connected with the magos' chest. Warnings and alerts came in from several systems informing him that several motor functions had shut down. One of his legs was unresponsive.

The collector flew off of him in a screech. Something big had connected with it. His vision returned to optimal resolution. He watched the inquisitor knock the creature against the floor and sliced at it with his sword.

Inhumanly quick, the creature rolled. it scraped across the ground and flew to its feet. Its cracked carapace was covered in scrapes and leaking that sickly yellow substance. Hakkon's attacks had taken their toll.

"By the Emperor, I defy you daemon!" he bellowed and charged the thing. He swiped and swiped.

An alert went through Hakkon's system as a massive surge of warpcraft was detected. He recognised the pattern. He concluded that it was the inquisitor making a psychic attack against the creature.

The magos watched with interest as the creature, which had been sprinting around the inquisitor in random directions, suddenly stopped. It retreated with its wings to a respectable distance and tilted its head. Both imperials watched it with caution. It looked to be observing.

It spoke again.

"Human. Male. Genetic psychic potential confirmed. Minimal instance of cell degeneration. Fourth stage development. Data compiled."

The inquisitor swung round. The collector dodged. It stood between the inquisitor and the magos laying on the ground.

"Whatever you are, I will end you, daemon." he yelled and charged. He missed again, the creature zipping back. It was too quick, it dodged all of the inquisitor's. . .

A metal spike impaled the creature. It burst out of the thing's chest. The protruding section of the spike reconfigured to a hook, locking the skewered collector in place.

The thing made a noise like death. Even skewered through the torso, it attempted to fly away.

Hakkon stabbed it again with another mechanical limb. He was hobbling to his feet. One of his legs was unresponsive, he stabilized himself against his other two mechanical limbs. The machine spirits of his systems were screaming at him. Many were wounded, many had been damaged.

All demanded vengeance!

In front of him, the collector twitched and struggled against the two spikes impaled in it.

"By the OMNISSIAH!" the magos cried in defiance and slammed the creature against the ground. He slammed it again and again. It continued to thrash. Half its limbs no longer functioned. It was leaking ichor over the pavement.

The inquisitor was there, he brought his sword up. The collector ceased struggling.

"Death." it said as the inquisitor loomed over it, "An annoyance. Limited utility."

The sword descended and the creature died.

* * *

><p>The stormtrooper's return was announced by a fusillade of las-fire. The collectors had been keeping their heads down since the loss of their leader, Shepard noticed. Her, Jacob and Jack were up on the front. Seeing what they could do about the ones left over.<p>

"Garrus, can you give us another burst from the cannon?"

"Already on it Shepard." came the reply and the air overhead was parted by screams from the hammerhead rounds. As they flew overhead, she leapt over her cover and threw herself against a storage crate mere metres from the collector position. She stored her rifle and retrieved the shotgun. Took a breath and activated the combat implant, quickening her reflexes. With heightened sense, she peeked out round her cover, weapon ready.

She saw a collector leapt out of its cover. She blasted it, at this range it had no hope of avoiding her shots. Her hopes were dashed as its purple violet shield shimmered around it. It fell back to cover, undamaged.

She yelled in frustration as she felt the effects of the implant wear off, it needed to recharge before it could be used again.

"Having some trouble up there?" Garrus called through the comm.

"Commander, need some help?" Jacob asked. She paused her reply as a collector beam scythed through the air to her left.

"Jacob, can you grab any of their cover?"

"Yes commander. Where do you need me to hit?"

In front of her, the collector position exploded in a biotic storm. Stone and concrete was sheared and torn where the tidal forces of physics was bent and warped.

"What about all of it?" laughed Jack over the comm. The storm was dissipating, she could see the enemy position again.

She saw the forms of the collectors scurrying about, they were rising back up. . .

She bent out and blasted several rounds of her weapon into them. Violet shielding flickered around them. Her last shot collapsed their barriers, but the projectiles impacted on its armour. It stumbled under the blast and turned. Shepard was already retreating back to cover.

An angry beam against her cover was her reply.

A bright lance of white light seared past her. She heard a screech from the collector position. She snuck a look out. One collector had been caught in the head by a powerful blast. She saw its chitinous body sprawled over the ground, ichor leaking onto the pavement.

Must have been Eldar sniper, she thought.

That left only one collector left. She spotted it on the far side of the street. Answering fire from the two Krogan. It was something almost remarkable. A single individual was holding up two of the most dangerous people in the galaxy.

"Okeer, Grunt keep the last one busy, I'm heading round the left side to flank."

"Humph." was Grunt's answer as she began to move. She kept low, the collector's cover was mostly ruined, wrecked by the forces of Jack and Jacob. Vehicles and rubble were strewn everywhere and she made good use of them. Crouching from cover to cover, with the sound of the alien weapons growing louder and louder. she came up to a good position beside the collector. Its attention was on the others, it hadn't noticed her yet, thankfully.

She fired her combat implant and charged around the corner. She needed to close as much distance as she could. Her weapon wouldn't do any damage from this far back, and she only get one shot before it realised she was there.

Time slowed. Her legs pumped. Stones skittered across the concrete as she sprinted past. It was in front of her, its bulbous head turned the other way firing back down the street to her team.

Closer, closer. Only a couple of seconds could have really passed but it felt like hours. She brought up her weapon, aimed squarely at the collector.

She fired.

The violet shielding shimmered over its body. The rounds did nothing.

She fired again, not breaking stride, ever closing the distance.

The shields again, it knew she was there now and was turning round. Its eyes locked onto her.

She fired again, the range close now. The violet shielding continued. She continued to run. Its weapon was coming around.

She fired again, the range point-blank. The entirety of the shotgun's content emptied into the chest of the creature. The shields blinked. The creature was thrown back, the force of the impacts alone threw it off.

Its weapon ignited, it scraped the ground in front of her. As the collector flew back through the air the beam traced a path along the ground towards her. The yellow beam passed briefly across her lower leg. It didn't register with her yet.

She fired again, she was almost on him. Almost within arm's reach. WIth its shields gone the creature was blown back further. Its torso crumpled beneath the impact. PIeces of chitin and collector whizzed off. Some pinged off her own armour, such was the force.

The collector didn't fall. It still brought its weapon round, ready to fire again.

Her mind was operating at inhuman speed thanks to the implant. She was out of shots. It was going to fire again. At this range from what she'd seen of their weapons, it'd punch right through her.

She was still running. At considerable speed.

Her limbs seemed to be moving in slow motion as she hurled her spent shotgun at her target in front. It flew through the air in front of her and connected with its head. It didn't faze the creature, but it bought her the time she needed.

The collector was hit by Shepard at full speed. Her entire weight connected with it and sent them both sprawling to the ground. Shepard grasped the collector's weapon with both hands. She pushed its aim away from her. If it managed to fire it, she was dead.

The collector wouldn't submit, the pair struggled with it, Shepard managed to push it towards the sky. It went off, sending a beam screeching into the air.

She kicked the collector with all her might. Then again, and again. She received scrapes and punches from it as it tried to get her off of it. She clung onto the weapon for her life.

Then she surged forward, driving them both against a wall. The collector' back scraped against the concrete supports. She elbowed its head.

Its grip loosened!

She pulled with the last gasp of her strength. The thing's claws relented and the weapon came free. She fell backwards onto the ground, clutching the weapon across her chest.

It saw her, and pounced, claws outstretched, screeching madly.

Its weapon fired.

The screeching terrible beam erupted from the end of the weapon and pierced the collector head through the right eyes. It scoured and blackened the concrete behind. The collector fell forwards, lifeless onto Shepard.

* * *

><p>Grunt was unhappy.<p>

A beam scythed the cover to the left of him, cutting away the corner.

He looked out to see what was going on. He blasted a couple of rounds off just for good luck.

An impact hit his shoulder, the armour there smouldered and dripped.

Humph, he thought, that shoulderpad was ruined anyway. . .

These bugs weren't playing fair, they didn't fight with honour. They just hid behind their cover and ran away from anything that got close. Grunt didn't like it.

"Okeer, Grunt keep the last one busy, I'm heading round the left side to flank." the woman Shepard radioed to them.

"Humph." he grunted, indifferent.

Okeer told him she was worthy. She was strong. Okeer had experience that he did not, so he listened to his words. But Grunt did not feel the same. Like all the other humans, she looked weak. She looked fragile.

He leaned out and blasted at the collector again. He got a similar response.

He looked over the rest of the team. His armour smoking from a fresh collector impact.

These weaklings couldn't even take one of the thing's beam hits. And here he was standing with four!

He looked at this shoulder pad. The outer layer was almost completely blackened. The inner structure was visible.

Maybe he shouldn't take many more. . .

He leaned out again. This time, he thought, this time I'll hit it square in the. . .

He stopped. He saw the human Shepard run to the left far up ahead, next to the collector.

The woman ran, full sprint towards the collector. She was yelling. She pumped blast after blast into the thing. He saw it absorb everything. Within seconds, she was within arms reach. The krogan watched as the human threw her weapon and then herself at it. The two punched and kicked each other in a scrap. The thing's weapon going off several times. He watched as she pinned it against a wall and punched it in the face. She fell backwards after that and the creature lunged for her. Then its head was blasted off, rent by its own weapon.

This happened over the course of several seconds.

He was still watching as the Shepard woman got up, over the smoking remains of the collector. He watched her examine her trophy, the weapon, and raise her hand to her ear.

"Collectors neutralised. Grunt, Okeer. Keep an eye up ahead for more, the rest of you, head back to help out with the husks!"

Grunt stood in the road, and nodded to himself. He would have to ask Okeer what else he knew about this 'Shepard'

* * *

><p>The street was quiet again, the remaining forces disappeared as quickly as they appeared. With the collectors dead, the husks and other fodder shambled back into the dark holes and crevices they emerged from. The survivors pumped munitions into the back of their desecrated bodies, splaying a dozen or more on the ground.<p>

Then they were gone, leaving a pock marked, ruined street littered with dead as their parting gift.

"Hammerhead scanner shows clear area." Mordin said to Shepard, "Must be underground. Or deep in building structures. Scanner penetration only so powerful."

"Acknowledged Mordin, let me know if anything at all pops up."

"Acknowledged Shepard." came the reply from the salarian and the link cut.

She took her hand down from her ear and looked back at her own forces. The grim task of counting who had or hadn't been fortunate occupied the group.

All of her team had pulled through, though some sustained injuries, like Jacob or Jack. The rest had luckily escaped with only minor injuries, Garrus had a deep black patch on the side of his armour. Okeer and Grunt were walking ruins, their armour blackened and melted, Patches of exposed mesh and wires gouged in large segments. She saw a burn mark across the side of Grunt's face. Whatever had caused it, the krogan didn't seem to mind. He was looking over the corpse of a collector. He scooped up its weapon and cradled it like a small child. He grinned.

Shepard had had the same idea. She had looted her previous opponent's weapon and strapped it across her back.

The security forces had taken the brunt of the punishment. Five of them had perished in the fight, cut down by collectors or pummelled to death by the husks. Another 6 were injured, one of them didn't look like he was going to survive much longer.

The mechs had fared the worst. Without the reflexes or agility of the organics, they'd been decimated. Most of the dogs and about half the LOKIs had been destroyed. The heavier ones had held up better, their armour impervious to the husks and stood up well to collector attacks. Though she saw one close to the hammerhead. It looked heavily damaged, Shepard saw two security troops around it, fiddling with a panel on the right of its abdomen.

The heavy mechanical thump of footprints behind her told her of Eisenmus' arrival.

"A good account." he voiced. " We should keep moving, they are no doubt regrouping as we speak."

Shepard gestured towards the hammerhead. "As soon as we finish loading the wounded on the hammerhead. We move out."

The injuries they'd sustained was more than she would've liked. The security forces probably saved their lives in the engagement by soaking up so much of the husk attack, but they had paid for it with their own. They had to move, but leaving the wounded here, defenceless, was not an option.

The tank was being used as a makeshift mass-stretcher. Three of the wounded weren't able to move on their own. They were helped up to sit on the slightly slanting hull of the Hammerhead. This effectively removed the hammerhead from a combat role. From now on it would stay back, so as to not endanger its new found passengers. In this brief respite, the remaining survivors formed a perimeter around their temporary med vehicle.

The inquisitor nodded. His armour made the constant hum and sounds of hydraulics any time he moved.

"What of your alliance?" have they decided to help us?"

She sighed, "All communications off world are blocked." she pointed to the collector ship. "You can thank them for that."

He looked up at the vast alien craft hanging over them. His eyes seemed to squint a little before turning back to Shepard.

"Very well. The emperor protects, Shepard." he turned and walked back to his fellows, over by a wrecked aircar.

* * *

><p>The ad-hoc force continued to advance towards the towers. They couldn't do anything for the dead yet. Several of the security people were shaking visibly. They hadn't got more than several hundred metres before the collectors returned.<p>

The group had no warning. The enemy screamed overhead as fast as their wings would allow. Firing their beam weapons down into the group below. Long streaks of the ground blackened as the beams scoured the surface.

The people dived for cover, most made it. A couple unfortunate souls were caught in the open and cut down. The mechs fared little better, not having the reflexes or capability to quickly dodge out of the way.

Return fire lanced upward at the strafers. Dozens of streaks criss crossed the sky as they tried to hit the collectors. Very little made the mark, those that did were stopped by violet shielding.

Then they left. Leaving the survivors to regroup and press on. A hundred metres later they did it again. . . and again. Each time claiming a life or two. A mech or two. On the third or fourth pass the group got lucky and clipped one out of the sky. It tumbled into a building on the left side and crumpled into the ground. Shepard's team wasted no time in rushing over and finishing the job.

On one attack run, one of them caught Jack in the open. Its weapon missed by a fraction of an inch, but not enough. Stray metal filaments and heat were embedded in her back. She screamed in agony as blood from a dozen tiny cuts began to trickle down her spine. The collector zoomed overhead, leaving with its fellows.

As it passed overhead a blue flaring bubble of biotic energy trapped it. It squirmed and screeched, trying to free itself from its new prison.

"Fucking bitch. . .fucking. .tear your fucking head off!"

The screech of the collector reached a new pitch. Jack was groaning underneath it. Her arms outstretched, she was yelling.

The arms came in and her hands scrunched into a ball of malice.

Hate fuelled forces of dark energy crushed the collector. A most horrific screech sounded from above as joints fused and chitin plates merged under the tremendous pressures. Parts of the it began to glow as its temperature rose, the pressure rising and rising.

Jack screamed a final cry and released her hands. The field failed. A miss-shapen spherical ball of collector dropped solid on the ground beside Jack. She was panting heavily. A trickle of blood issued from her nose.

She looked at the ruined, smoking ball of collector mass beside her. Among the crumpled mess, a single, dead, cracked eye stared back at her.

"What are you looking at, huh?"

* * *

><p>The flying attacks diminished, replaced by large groups of husks. They attacked the force again and again before hurrying off. Each time they're fought off but each time they claim more and more lives. The security militia take the worst. After every attack there's another body lying on the floor that won't rise.<p>

Shepard sees Collins go over to every one after the husks have disappeared and kneel beside them. He says something to them but she can't hear what.

In the hard struggle to the control station, her own team is worn down by the constant harassment. Her own armour displayed dozens of scratches and pockmarks showcasing instances where they've gotten much too close for comfort.

Battered and bruised by repeated collector assaults, the fire team make it to within a few hundred metres of the control tower station.

"I know these streets," Collins was saying. His light armour was battered and caked in dust. there were scratches and patches of blood, his or another's, peppered over his clothing. His face was pasted white with dust, his helmet long since discarded - damaged beyond use.

Still he led on. At the front of the column with Shepard and her team. The man's resolve was remarkable.

He pointed forward. To a three story building on a street corner. "There, we turn there. That should lead us directly to the plaza."

Shepard acknowledged this. Husk attacks were a major cause for concern. Everyone was on edge. They came at random intervals, from every crevasse they could find. Collectors appeared here and there, but they never landed anymore. Her inner voice revelled in this. We must have taught them a costly lesson, she thought.

* * *

><p>The group closed on their final destination. A plaza containing an access point for the colony's turrets. They slowly, deliberately crunched along the concrete of the street. Everyone was silent. The buildings to either side of them loomed over their convoy. Only the humm of the hammerhead and the scrape of boots on concrete echoed down the street.<p>

They entered, and surveyed the area. It was wide, surrounded by buildings. They had entered from the north entrance. There were similar exits to the south and east. The west side was dominated by street fronts and what looked like supply crates for the turret controls.

The area was open, littered with cargo vehicles and crates. Equipment was strewn everywhere, left lying where it fell.

No bodies. . . Shepard realised. No pods either. They must already be loaded into the Ship!

The centre of the plaza was a cordoned off area. A large platform with a tall control station of some kind. Thick cables snaked across the ground from access ports built into the ground around the plaza. If anything screaming 'control station'. . . this was it.

"Collins?" she asked, "Is that what we're looking for?"

The lieutenant nodded. "Yes, that's it. I'm sure of it!"

She nodded and ordered the team to move up and secure their main objective. The courtyard was empty. No sign of any life at all.

Keeping one eye on the building line she strode up to the console dais and punched the activation switch. A screen in front of her blossomed to life. Showing the login screen for the alliance. She quickly gained access to the tower controls with her spectre credentials

Now for the moment of truth, she raised her hand to her ear and activated her com.

"EDI?" she called. The Normandy would be somewhere overhead, attempting to stay within communication range.

"Yes Shepard?"

"I've got access to the towers, can you get them online?" she looked round. The rear most elements of her force had just finished arriving. They had formed a rough perimeter around the central station. Eyes alert.

The AI returned, "Errors in tower calibration software detected. They are easily rectified but it will take time to bring the towers to full power. I will not be able to mask increased generator output."

Shepard didn't like the sound of that. "Any other tips?"

"I recommend a defensive posture. Collectors are closing in."

You couldn't have told us that first? she though as she cut the call. With haste, she sent orders to her teams. Around her, her squad, the remains of the security forces, over a dozen mechs and a hammerhead tank readied themselves for a combat. They were all on edge. Every building was checked and double checked for hostiles.

"ENEMY CONTACT! WEST SIDE!", one of the troopers yelled,

The heads of the entire strike force turned. The west side, a conglomeration of prefabricated building fronts and facades, was vomiting a wave of husks from its ground floor openings.

Screams sounded from their gaping mouths. Their limbs thrashed around them.

Windows smashed and doors were ripped off their frames as the tide of bodies spilled from the interiors. Gunfire sounded immediately and tore through the first ranks of the creatures.

"What the. . .?" Garrus breathed over the comm. Shepard saw what he meant.

Towering, shambling over the milling mass of husks beneath them limped horrific conglomerations of flesh. Standing well over three metres, grossly misshapen and deformed beyond all natural proportions. It edged forward, a creature made of fused husk parts and components. Four different faces leered out from its ugly torso as one withered limb hung uselessly to one side of the creature.

It moved haphazardly through the enemy ranks like a slavemaster or herder. Shepard saw no fewer than three more appear from different openings in the building line.

Where the husks screamed and yelled, these moaned. A sickly, terrible wailing that overrode all the angry snarls and grunts of their smaller companions.

The original creature's other arm raised. Where its first arm was withered and atrophied, this one possessed bulk and strength, the lower end fused unnaturally with the sick machinery of these creatures. Pale blue light shone from its eyes and vein like wires criss-crossing its skin.

At the end of this arm, was a cannon. It was pointed towards Shepard.

It fired.

A series of concussive blasts ripped holes in the ground. A husk was caught in a blast but the rest didn't seem to care. The explosions ripped in a line towards Shepard's position. A security member taking cover behind crates was torn apart as the force ripped through her.

Intuitive neurons, deep within Shepard's brain thrust her to dive to the left, as her visual senses told her in the next few seconds she'd be in the line of fire of these hideous things.

She was right.

An explosion from the creature's cannon ripped through the place where she'd been standing. The raised control platform was consumed in a storm of blueish-fire. She felt the shockwave blow through her.

She was on the ground. She scrambled up. The sound of continuous gunfire echoed around her, punctuated by the odd flat explosion from one of the enemy cannons firing.

She set to work, raising her rifle and downing two husks that were heading for a mech. She caught another as it was trying to get behind Jacob's cover in the field.

"Shepard!" it was EDI, "I have lost contact with the towers, can you re-establish my connection?"

"What's wron. . ." she began but trailed off as she saw the problem. The control station was a blackened ruin. The monster's shots had disintegrated the main receiver tower and damaged the control console. A cracked screen displayed an RGB mess of static

"EDI?" Shepard asked, mind reeling, trying to think, "Can you connect to the towers any other way?"

"I apologize Shepard, the tower networks are shielded against outside interference. I cannot connect to them without an access point."

Shepard's heart sank even more as she recognised the buzzing insect figures flying in from the south. The collectors buzzed in and landed on the roof of a storage yard on the south side of the plaza.

There were seven of them. The one in the middle shone with a familiar yellow light.

SHEPARD! it said. Voice booming over the plaza below. YOU ONLY DELAY THE INEVITABLE. . .

They opened fire.


	13. The Fate of Horizon

Author's Note,

What is this? An update? Bet none of you were expecting this :P

Once again, all feedback welcome. Especially that which points out problems, can only make the story better!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen: The fate of Horizon<strong>

The console was ruined, that much was obvious. Sparks flew from the blackened mess.

Shepard would remember the sound of those scrying beams later. The sound of air being split and torn as the collector beams scoured through the air.

The entire strike force was caught off guard and in the open. The lucky few dived for cover as soon as the warning was shouted. Most weren't so lucky.

Every beam found their mark, the pin point accuracy of these things confirmed once again. Three men and several mechs went down as each beam scoured metal or flesh. Shepard remembered the confusion and panic as several troopers crumpled to the ground.

She threw herself against one of the many crates dotting the plaza. The husks continued their incessant horrific moaning.

"This is Shepard. The tower control console's ruined. Team standby!"

"That isn't good Shepard!" Garrus responded, she saw the hammerhead in the distance. It was immediately backing up from the fight. Good, she thought. Keep the wounded away!

Shepard looked over her cover, the collectors were on the warehouse roof. They stalked over the courtyard, predatory eyes scryed the ground below. She loosed off a shot at one of them. It was pinning down a group of the security troopers sheltering behind a cargo vehicle. She didn't do any damage, but its attention shifted to her. The screech of her cover being tortured was its response.

She looked back at the wider arena around her. The control console was destroyed. Collectors were hammering their position

They needed a new plan!

"Collins!" she radioed.

Static filled her ear for long seconds then, "Yes? Sorry commander. They came out of nowhere."

"Collins? You alright?"

"Coping. We need some help with these bigger ones though."

"Never mind that. Is there another place we can access the towers?"

A series of explosions echoed to Shepard's right. She risked a peek to see the line of devastation where one of the larger husks have fired its gun-arm.

"The main turret control centre. It's the main control station for the colony."

"Where is it?"

"In the North east. Another two maybe three kilometers. Out near the outskirts."

"Seems like our only option at this point. Can you highlight it on the map?"

"On it Shepard."

She waited, moments later a ping sounded on her omnitool. A new marker appeared over her holographic map. She keyed in several commands and send it to everyone in the party.

"This is Shepard! We're moving to this position! We need to withdraw from this courtyard."

"Understood Commander." it was Jacob, "but the collectors have a couple of security units and me pinned. If we make a break for it, we'll be cut down."

Another voice cut in on the comm. It was angry, "Shepard, the fuckers have me trapped under this fucking truck!" the rage was evident in Jack's voice. "Can't move for shit."

Shepard grunted. The cover in the plaza was sparse. There was no chance they'd clear the area in one piece.

She saw another trooper die. Sliced in two by a beam. The poor woman continued to scream for several moments before her voice giving out.

They'd have to fight their way out of this.

She brought her hand back up to her comm "Alright, new plan. Jack, Jacob. I need that roofline covered in a biotic storm. Blind them. When that happens, I want everyone to find better cover. If you're already in decent cover, I want you to lay down supporting fire."

Their confirmations returned moments later.

"Jack, Jacob? You ready?"

"As we'll ever be commander." Jacob replied.

"Do it!"

* * *

><p>Jacob glowed with energy. He saw over in the distance Jack was doing to same. She started yelling. An indeterminate, wordless cry. He felt his own power rising and rising. His teeth itched as the static ionized the air.<p>

He dashed out of cover and threw his fist towards the collector position. The roof was consumed in a swirling ball of incandescent blue energy.

Jacob was already running, away from the low stack of metal cables that he'd been hiding behind. The others ran with him. His arm ached as he ran. Every footstep sending fresh jolts of pain through it. He held it close and gritted through the pain. He was heading to a series of parked vehicles to his right. Their high cabins offering more protection. He could see two security troopers already taking cover behind it.

He reached it, slamming his back against the wall of it. Above them the storm were dissipating. The collector fire returning.

* * *

><p>She saw the beams return. The storm had blinded them for a moment, but they hadn't relinquished their position.<p>

She needed them off that roof! "Glaedara. Get your sniper to target the collectors on the roofline. They don't have cover. We need them to land."

"Understood, Shepard." came the reply. A second later, a piercing beam of white light decapitated a collector on the roofline. Its wings flickered erratically and it tumbled forward off the building.

Even as it continued to fall, the other collectors reacted. Shepard's heart leapt as she saw them dive off the roof and land on the ground beneath. They wasted no time in landing, their chitinous feet barely hitting the ground before unloading more fire into Shepard's team. They skittered to the side, each covering each other.

There! She saw another glowing one. It stood in the open, defiant. It was like the other they'd dispatched a while back, were they their leaders? she wondered.

She gripped her rifle and looked round, trying to get a picture of the battlefield. The smoking ruin of the control console stood in the centre of the square. She was propped up against a series of crates nearby. To the east she saw a dozen or so of the security team, holding off the oncoming waves of husks as best they could. The two krogan were with them, pumping rounds into the encroaching, moaning masses.

To the south were the collectors. Their new landed positions robbing them of their height advantage, but providing them with ample cover. They took advantage of their positions to terrifying effect. When she risked a glance, their clicking forms darted from one piece of cover to the next. They continued their relentless bombardment of her position. The very air smelled as if it was burning.

They grouped behind the road barriers, the stopped vehicles and the sprawled cargo that littered the road in front of the building.

She heard the massive thump of the hammerhead's cannon. She turned, the wounded! They'd be pummeled by the force of the cannon!

It had shifted position, now near the courtyard entrance. The wounded weren't on it anymore. Those that could walk were helping the others get away from it. They struggled towards the cover around the tank. Some clutching weapons, some grunting under the effort.

She felt, rather than heard, the hammerhead rounds zip overhead. They impacted the collectors with a terrific force. It got lucky, punching into the centre of one of them. Its body flew back under the impact. It was testament to the durability of these things that it didn't disintegrate under the blast.

Dust and wreckage was thrown in the air. Visibility dimmed as clouds of rubble and dust spread over the enemy position, concrete torn up by the cannon of the hammerhead.

* * *

><p>Eisenmus saw the volley from the hammerhead, it kicked up a cloud of dust in front of the collector position, blinding both parties.<p>

He began moving. Each step of his heavy treads clanged on the ground beneath him. His armour whined and groaned in protest as he closed the distance with the collectors. His bolt pistol aimed before him.

He was halfway there, he saw one emerge from the smoke.

He fired. The shell impacted. Shielding flickered from the impact. He fired again. Chitin sprayed everywhere. It stumbled. Despite incapacitated, it drew its weapon. He lunged to the left. The beam tore through his previous position. It was slower, he thought, it must be damaged.

He closed the distance with a couple more steps and impaled it with his blade. The collector screeched in agony for a moment before being cast aside. It was dead, he had to move on.

He was on their flank now. he'd taken out the flank collector. There was still dust around him. It was dissipating, it wouldn't be here for much longer.

The other collectors saw him. They shifted positions.

He raised his bolt pistol. . .

* * *

><p>The dust was now everywhere. Shepard skidded behind the ruin of the control console. It was still smouldering.<p>

She risked a peek. Searching. The fight was in full swing around her.

Something flickered in the air, blocked the light for a second.

She looked up, and that saved her life.

On impulse she dived. The collector's dive missed her my inches. Its impact crumbled the remains of the control console. In haste, she retrieved the collector weapon on her back. It came at her, glowing golden cracks and lines glowering at her.

Like the one she saw earlier, the one with glowing lines infusing its body. It stood before her, its stance arrogant and sure. Its wings twitched as they settled themselves. Limbs moving with unnatural joints.

She fired. She hit it in the shoulder. Its shields failed assuredly. The beam bit into the carapace beneath. The creature halted in its tracks. The force of the impact bringing it to a standstill. Its feet dug into the concrete beneath. Molten drops of liquefied chitin dripped down its side.

"IF I MUST TEAR YOU APART SHEPARD, I WILL"

It didn't fall. It still stared at her. If it felt pain, it showed no sign. It stood defiant at her. Its glowing eyes fixated on her. She fired again with the beam, but it had predicted it and flew to one side, sidestepping the deadly ray.

She brought the weapon round, too late. It lunged at her. Its claws flared with dark purple auras. Almost biotic in nature.

Shepard dodged its first blow, but not the second. She took a blow to the shoulder and she went down. The force was tremendous. Her shoulder ached through the layers and layers of armour she wore.

Without thinking, her pistol was in her hand. From her position on the ground she fired into the thing. It paid very little heed, bits of chitin flew off in directions. Sparks of golden light sprayed where her bullets found their mark beneath the surface. .

"UNKNOWING. BLIND. REACHING IN THE DARK. YOU DO NOT YET KNOW YOUR PLACE."

Its wings buzzed. It flew up off the ground towards her. She saw its clawed feet descend to the ground. It would crush her.

She grunted and rolled to the right. She felt its impact beside her.

Her roll had bought her time, a second at most. Her pistol was spent, useless. She'd dropped it before she'd rolled. Her shotgun was in her hand now.

For half a second their eyes met. She looked in the four spite filled glowing orbs embedded into the front of its oversized head.

She fired.

The two figures were only feet apart. It had no shields to hide behind. The force of the shotgun blast at that close range blew the collector from its feet by momentum alone. Great chunks of carapace were shorn off. Foul coloured ichor sprayed onto the ground. Incredibly, it didn't die. Its wings buzzed, trying to right itself.

She didn't let it. She fired again blasting its skull. One of its eyes went out, but still it didn't die. It was almost on her. Wings buzzing for propulsion.

It's arm became a blur, coming down to strike her. Shepard brought up her weapon to block,

A glimmer of silver in her vision.

A dull 'thud' impacted her weapon. Shepard saw the severed arm of the collector. Her weapon and armour were now covered in its foul fluids.

She looked up at the creature. It stood over her, its arm ending in a stump in at the shoulder. It looked at it. The creatures showed no emotion. Their faces fixed into black masked of solid chitin. but Shepard thought if it knew surprise, it was showing it now.

It looked down at its ruined arm. It made a clicking noise Shepard couldn't understand, like crickets through a radio. Then it looked at the new arrival.

Glaedara stood beside it. She looked almost unrecognisable. Her clothing was caked in dust. Specks of blood, both husk-blue and collector black were scattered everywhere, like a haphazard painter.

The collector viewed her. Wings twitching. It made no move to attack. To Shepard, on the ground, it looked like it was observing her.

"ELDAR. ARROGANT. UNDESERVING. COMPATIBILITY CONFIRMED."

* * *

><p>Her spear stopped in its path. Around her were the sounds of battle. Explosions and gunfire rippled off into the distance. The screams of the dying found their way to her ears. Moans of the undead monsters filled the air.<p>

None of that mattered to Glaedara. Because this thing, this thing that radiated the smell of the warp, knew what she was.

"You know what I am? she asked. Her voice taking an echo from her helmet speaker.

"SIMPLE MINDS OF BLOOD AND FLESH. MADE BY THOSE WHO BROUGHT TURMOIL TO THE UNIVERSE. THE ELDAR, ASCENDED. WITH ASCENSION CAME PEACE.

"What do you mean?"

"INCAPABLE OF UNDERSTANDING. YOUR PRESENCE; MEANINGLESS"

the collector twitched, the violent wounds taking effect on the stability of the creature. Glaedara pressed her blade against the creature's neck.

"Tell me what you know!" she commanded.

"WE WILL CONTINUE. RELEASING CONTROL"

The light in the collector's eyes dimmed to nothing. The inner glow that had infused the collector died out. Glowing wounds became ugly gashes in the side of its carapace.

It dropped. Its mutilated body lying still on the ground.

Shepard and the eldar looked at each other, the sounds of battle still taking place around them.

"What the hell was that?" Shepard asked.

* * *

><p>The comm in Collin's ear beeped to life.<p>

"Collins? How are you holding?" it was the commander.

Collins looked at his unit around him. Every one of them was ragged from the assaults. Several were yelling at the things as they fired assault rifle rounds into them. Many of the husk things went down . There were piles of them, several deep around the openings of the buildings and windows.

"We're holding but I don't know how much longer." Several of his troopers had been killed, torn apart by the weight of numbers or blasted from their positions by the large lumbering monsters.

"Collins, we're dealing with the collectors. Make ready your men. We'll be making a break for the control centre. We're going to leave what's left of the mechs to cover our retreat."

"Acknowledged commander." he replied. "Just tell us when to go."

"You do Horizon proud Collins, Shepard out."

* * *

><p>She radioed this to each member of her team, making sure they understood their precise role in this. They'd only get one chance. Once they deployed the mechs as a screen, there'd be no going back.<p>

The husks had been thinned out on the northern side. She saw their chance! She wasn't about to let this go to waste.

"Shepard to all units. We've got a way out. Everyone fall back to the northern side. The mechs will cover us!" she switched to private channel.

"Kasumi, get those mechs engaging!"

"On it Shepard."

Shepard turned to Jacob beside her. "Come on! Let's get out of here."

"Aye commander!" he replied. a smile across his face.

"Garrus," she commed, "Cover us! Throw something at them."

"I was just thinking the same thing, Shepard." he said. From her cover she heard the massive thump of the cannon firing. The remaining collectors disappeared behind a veil of dust .

She grabbed Jacob. "Come on, let's move!"

The pair of them sprinted. Away from the collectors. Shells from the hammerhead zoomed overhead, the pressure of their passing kicking up dust from the ground.

Others were doing the same. Security forces were firing their last volley into the enemy before legging it toward the hammerhead.

Some unfortunates got caught in the fire that blasted their way. One of the large cannon husks fired at those trying to escape. It caught two more personnel in the cannon's cone of fire. Their bodies flew threw the air before impacting on the ground.

Like salmon against the current. The remaining mechs advanced the opposite way. Their emotionless forms levelling their weapons at the enemy as their organic comrades fled the field. The retreating forces gave them plenty of leeway. The mechs thanked them by laying down volley after volley of fire in to the enemy positions. Not accurate enough to cause significant damage, but sufficient volume to prevent the collectors from harassing the retreating units.

It wouldn't stop the collectors, Shepard knew this. But it would buy them time to get to the command centre.

Her and Jacob just passed a YMIR, eardrums whining in protest at the pressure differential as it unleashed an arm mounted missile into the enemy. They put its bulk between them and the enemy.

She heard the missile's explosion behind her. She turned her head as she ran. A plume of blackened smoke was drifting into the sky. Near the summit, collector zipped out of the dark cloud, seemingly undamaged.

The hammerhead was in front of her. "Garrus move out! We're leaving!"

"Leaving? Already? Come on, I just found somewhere to park. . ."

"Garrus. Move it!"

"On it Shepard."

The high pitch of the tank's engines increased. The vehicle hovered in the air, a few feet off the ground. It pitched down and reversed, gracefully. An actor making a bow before departing the stage.

It wouldn't have surprised Shepard if he was doing that on purpose.

Jacob was ahead of her, caught up with the rest of the group. They last stragglers stood by the edge of the plaza, peppering shots as best they could at the enemy much further back.

"Move! Get moving!" she yelled. They hesitated, before registering her orders and retreating back. She was amongst them, hauling them to their feet and yelling them to continue. More than one looked back at her with uncomprehending eyes, stripped of rational decision making by the chaos that had just consumed their lives.

These poor souls needed more percussive persuasion, but soon all of them were moving. She saw Grunt and Okeer, their eyes resting longingly on the battle they were leaving.

She ran over to them," Grunt, Okeer, you're with me. We form the rearguard. No collector gets through us to the others."

"Clear Shepard." Grunt grinned and pumped his oversized shotgun with enthusiasm.

An explosion sounded from the plaza. Another mech had just been destroyed. A big one by the sound of it. Soot and smoke was now trailing from a blackened, broken carcass.

A quick survey told her what she feared. The mechs were getting slaughtered. They had to move!

"Come on" she barked to the two krogan warriors towering above her. "Keep up!" The trio followed the rest of their party north, away from the plaza. Leaving the mechs to their doom. . .

* * *

><p>The column of combatants advanced through the streets as fast as they dared. Knowing they had little time to make the journey. The odd husk group was encountered, but Shepard had given orders. Stop for nothing. These isolated husks were blasted into oblivion by those more desperate and afraid of what was behind them, than what may lie ahead.<p>

Eleiyra leapt onto another rooftop. Her cloak active again.

She'd learnt not to underestimate these new creatures. Their senses were sharper than most things she'd encountered.

She landed silently and crouched next to the roofline. The column of friendly combatants streamed below her. Like ants scurrying over the detritus of the ground, they ambled over the debris in the street.

Behind them came the collectors. They zipped from building to building in sharp turns and quick changes in flight.

Like she'd learnt not to underestimate them, and they'd learnt not to underestimate her. Those that flew above the building line, bereft of ample cover, quickly found themselves target for her longrifle.

She snapped off a shot at a collector diving toward the ground. As her finger tightened on the trigger, the collector jerked to one side, performing a strange mid air roll. Her shot pierced the air where it had been, and she cursed beneath her helmet.

Cloak active. Relocate. Re-aim. This was her role in this dance. As she sprinted over the top of the building, angry noises and blasts erupted from her original position. They sought to eliminate her, but like them, she moved at random.

* * *

><p>The turret control complex was ahead of them, though without the map marker telling them so they could've easily missed it. A non de-script building, it looked like a thick, stocky store set in the middle of a wide courtyard. The only indication of any unusual involvement was an alliance shuttle stationed outside.<p>

The team spilled into the building. Inside there was evidence of the collector swarms. people lay on the floor in poses of struggle, at their desks and standing, running to escape.

The remaining security personnel filed in. They were in a sorry state. Nearly all were wounded, some badly. Mordin had exited the hammerhead and was going around, doing what he could with their sole surviving medic.

Shepard searched around, trying to find Collins. She found him talking to two of the junior officers.

"Collins? Where to now?"

"I've only been here once before but I'll show you."

He led Shepard through the building, through the admin section. Here and there were more and more bodies, frozen where they stood.

They arrived at a heavy looking door. Collins stopped.

"This is as far as I went. The others went through. It looked like a lift on the inside I remember. Pretty big too"

Shepard nodded, understanding, "So its underneath us." she looked down at the small screen by the numpad on the door. She keyed in her spectre codes. It opened for her.

"Small mercies. . ." she breathed. She activated her comm. "This is Shepard. Form a defensible position around the building. There's an underground section. I'm going to check it out."

She entered the lift with Collins. It was wide, most likely doubling as a cargo lift. The doors closed silently.

She looked at the floor numbers. There were many below ground level. She pressed the bottom most floor, the deepest must the most important, right?

The lift glided down, bereft of accompanying music. It stopped its motion as the lights indicated their floor.

-7

The doors opened. The duo stepped out. A dull lit room. Wide and heavily built. Thick columns of concrete were evenly spaced across the space. Terminals and workstations were scattered against the walls. Down the centre of the room, the only source of illumination, three large holo tables. The orange hue of data on their screens diffusing across the room, casting thick shadows in the corners of the space.

Shepard drew her pistol.

There was a figure.

Its back was turned to them. It was hunched over the far table, silhouetted in meek orange.

"Hey!" Shepard called out. Pistol aimed at the figure's back. "Who's there?"

At the noise, the figure snapped round. It lunged against the table in front of it, dropping from view. Shepard did the same, as did Collins.

"Who the hell are you?!" Shepard heard a voice call out.

She recognised that voice!

"Ashley?. . ." she called, half involuntarily.

There was a silence. The silence thought.

"How the hell do you know my name?!"

"Ashley, it's me. Shepard! We're here to stop these collectors!"

Another pause. "Bullshit! I'll ask again, who the hell are you?!"

Shepard risked a peek over her table. The dark infused surroundings told her nothing.

She looked beside her. Collins was next to her, his expression one of confusion..

"We've got no time for this!" Shepard called out. "Look, I'll come out slowly. Take a good look." She clipped her pistol back to its holster at her waist and slowly stood up over the barrier.

Darkness surrounded her. The tables remained the only source of light in the room. She chanced a glance around her to try and find anything. Nothing, only the smothering darkness around. She saw no sight of the marine.

"You see?" she called out to the blackness. Her front was illuminated by the holo tables, displaying a diffuse, orange figure to the unknown room beyond the blackness.

There was nothing. Silence. The moments stretched on.

"The other!" the room accused back. "There were two of you! Don't lie to me" I saw!"

"Ok, ok" Shepard replied and looked back down to Collins. Her look commanded him to stand alongside her. He obliged the unspoken command, holstering his pistol before slowly standing beside the commander.

"Who're you?"

"Lieutenant Collins, ma'am!" His voice gaining purchase in the gloom. "Discovery security force,"

The darkness remained impassive. The blackness stared back at them for several more long seconds.

Then a figure stepped out of the darkness, pistol remained pointed at them. The angry orange light and seeping darkness cast a visage on the woman worthy of any hellscape. Gaunt and tired eyes looked at the two new arrivals.

"Shepard. . .by God it is you, I saw you were back but. . .Shepard you died."

Shepard nodded. "Its true, I died. We'll catch up later, all that matters now is that I'm here and that we save the colony up there." she pointed. "What're doing down here ash? How'd you evade the seeker swarms?"

The alliance marine shrugged. Her pistol went back to its holster. "Got lucky. Was doing tests on the tower targeting systems down here when they hit. Did you get my message? Are any others coming?"

Shepard heard the weariness in her former crewman's voice. She shook her head. "Your message is being scrambled. We got an advance warning. Ash, we need the defence towers online, what have you got for me?"

Ashley's face grimaced. The low light deepened the lines across the marine's features. "Fuck all." the targeting system's completely shot to shit. Been acting up for days now. Haven't slept for two days trying to get it back online."

"That was before you had help" Shepard said. She activated the comm. "This is Shepard, I want anyone with any tech. . ." she trailed off as Ashley shook her head.

"Whole bunker's shielded. Nothing gets through that doesn't go through the main system. Here, I'll give you the channels." her fingers flashed across her omnitool and a series of channels flashed up on Shepard's omni-screen.

"Get those to your people. We'll be able to keep in touch with the bunker's main comm system."

"Thanks, ash. Any chance of getting the lights back on?"

"Entire place is on emergency power. Saving power for the turret capacitor. . .only I haven't been able to use the fucking thing 'cause the turrets won't shoot straight!"

"Noted. I'll head back up to the surface and get anyone who knows anything about tech down here to help you out. We need these turrets online now!"

"Couldn't agree more." her face softened, "Shepard. . Its. . its good to see you."

Shepard smiled. "You too Ash."

* * *

><p>In the outer areas of the complex the troops were busy organizing themselves into an effective defence.<p>

The wounded were being offloaded from the hammerhead and brought inside. A couple of the security guards had broken into the emergency medical supplies and pillaged the contents. Those unable to walk were being moved back to the more secured sections of the building. The others set to work barricading the entrances and windows.

From her perch on the new building Eleiyra had a commanding view of the surrounding area. In front of the building the courtyard stretched out for several dozen metres. The rough paved area dominated the surface before dividing up into the streets and routes of the colony proper. The buildings around the courtyard where slightly lower than the one she was perched on, giving her a commanding view of all the streets entering the courtyard.

She looked out over the rooftops. . .nothing. The collector's had learnt that to rise above the cover meant death. Only the faint swarm of the small bugs swarmed here and there. Faint, dark clouds sifting through the ghost town of the colony.

Noises filtered up from below. The humm of the monkeigh vehicle, the yells of their wounded, the shouts their leaders made to their subordinates.

The buildings muffled them. Thankfully so. The sounds reverberated and were kept contained in the courtyard. She wasn't wearing her helmet anymore. Despite being hunted by unknown aliens, she relished the feeling of being outside. If had been almost an age since she had felt like this. Her senses could smell the soot coming up from below, the smells of battle were prevalent here. . .but then, those smells tended to follow her wherever she went.

A glimmer!

Her sharp eyes picked something moving to her right. Far in the distance. A flash of something. She focussed on the area. Medium distance. Street running parallel to those entering the courtyard.

The haze of tiny bugs was thicker there. They fluttered and zipped around like insects in a forest.

They were much thicker over there, something's up!

Farseer? she thought

"Yes, Eleiyra?" the farseer replied within her head.

"I see a concentration of the aliens. . the small bugs. They look like they're gathering. I can't know for certain, but they may be about to attack."

"Understood Eleiyra"

The ranger felt the farseer cut the mental link, her presence withdrawing from her mind. She unslung her rifle. Zoomed in on the area and watched.

* * *

><p>Glaedara hesitantly tapped the thing around her ear. It felt bulky and uncomfortable. The noise it made was hazy and broken - chops of sound missing from the messages it relayed, but it was the only way these people had of contacting each other.<p>

"Commander Shepard?"

"Yes, Glaedara?"

"Eleiyra warns that the enemy may attack soon. She's noticed a concentration to the south."

"Ok, thanks for the heads up Glaedara. I'll get us ready!"

* * *

><p>The crack of the eldar ranger's longrifle was the first warning the defenders had. The ranger had picked out one of the lone shambling husks as it shuffled its way into the courtyard.<p>

One or two collectors were visible for brief seconds, before disappearing off into the neighbouring buildings or side streets. They'd learned not to hang around in an open space with the eldar ranger on overwatch.

The word spread among the defenders. The enemy had arrived. The surviving team members scrambled to the southern end of the building, where they'd been sighted. They took up post at windows. Those more suited to close quarters remained outside, standing behind the sea of parked vehicles. Here, they were better able to respond to and prevent incursions into the already stretched defender forces.

Rifles were loaded and levelled. The shambling host continued forward. A slow carpet of horrible blue and grey. The grotesque monstrosities of the larger ones shambled about here and there among the others.

Of the collectors there was no further sign.

The hammerhead's turret rotated. Set its sights square into the encroaching mass.

For long moments there was a tense silence, broken only by the groans and moans of the husks as they shambled forward.

"Let them have it Garrus." Shepard commed to the turian sitting in the tank. Deep within the vehicle the turian smiled and thumbed the fire control.

The hammerhead spewed a series explosive rounds right into the heart of the husk forces.

Then everything happened at once.

The bodies of those closest were flung into the air. Those around them began to sprint at the compound instead of walking.

The defenders responded by pouring fire into the horde. The range was still very far, their fire did nothing substantial.

Zooming skywards, emerging from within the horde itself, collectors flew. Each laying down fire onto the revealed positions of the defenders. They fired, moved, and ducked back into the encroaching mass of bodies. Using the husks as a shield. Hitting them was impossible, their speed was too fast for anyone to follow at this range

The husks closed the distance. Their aggression growing. The defenders responded, their fire having greater effect as the distances became smaller and smaller. Dozens of the enemy went down to rifle fire, their bodies trampled by those behind.

They neared those in front of the compound, those that could take the most punishment, Shepard, The krogan, the farseer, the inquisitor. They were greeted with short range volleys of death from shotguns, bolt rounds, and short range heavy pistols.

As the husks closed the final distance on the group, the fight began in earnest.

* * *

><p>A deep screech. Like a skipping hard drive or electric interference. It rang across the courtyard. The defenders looked up, at least those not locked in a struggle for their lives.<p>

A monstrous, four legged spider stood in the middle of the courtyard. Its sharp and jagged body mirrored the head and legs of the collectors themselves. Pale blue mechanical eyes shone from its main section, almost resembling a collector head. Its movements twitchy and fast.

Well over three metres tall it towered over everything else. Another screech. this one full of anger. The lower section of its head lowered in a foul mocking of a jaw. Within it, lay rows upon rows of skulls. Husk infused skulls with baleful blue eyes, like their master's, shone out from the mouth of the thing.

Its legs twitched as it gained purchase on the ground. Shepard saw it from her position near the complex. Whatever the hell that thing was, she thought, it couldn't be good for them.

"Garrus? Shoot that thing now!" she managed before another husk bounded for her.

"Way ahead of you, Shepard." the hammerhead's gun was already turning round to aim at it.

The tank was peppered with scorch marks and deep gouges where the collector weapons had taken their toll on the armour. One of the engines was cycling out of sync. The whole vehicle hung slightly to one side as it hovered through the air.

None of that mattered, the main gun was still operational.

It fired. A high yield round into the new target. Shepard felt the force of the firing even from where she was. Dust was kicked up around the tank as the projectile screamed through the air.

It impacted the target. Shepard watched with dismay as that damnable violet purple shielding flashed around the monstrosity. A blast erupted where the projectile disintegrated on the target's shield. The target itself recoiled under the kinetic impact. Pushed back under the weight of the impact, otherwise, the round caused no damage.

It turned to the tank with angry eyes.

"Crap." Shepard heard through the comm as Garrus scrambled to get another firing solution on the thing.

It had learned. It was moving. Even without the wings of its smaller cousins, it could fly. It ascended off the pavement in an eerie fashion. No noise of motors or grav generators. It flew listlessly in the air, like some nightmarish jellyfish.

It rose and rose, leaving the turret's cone of fire entirely. The hammerhead firing in anger into the air as it passed the vertical threshold.

A shadow passed over the tank as the thing fell back to the ground. Horrible metal scraping sounded where its claws found purchase on the hover vehicle. The motors of the tank grunted and struggled beneath the weight. The leaning edge scraped across the ground as the grav engines screamed under the pressure.

"I've got a passenger Shepard!" she heard Garrus call out from her ear as the large monstrosity clutched onto the tank. The vehicle shifted and swerved under it, trying to dislodge its unwanted guest. No luck, the collector construct stabbed one of its claws into the ground, anchoring both it and the vehicle. The engines squealed in protest trying to escape. Parts of the hull began to buckle under the crushing grip.

Lightning quick, the collector thing lifted up one of its claws and stabbed into the tank. The claw buckled and bent metal, piercing into the hull. A shriek of tortured steel rang out as it twisted its claw free, trying for another strike at its prey."

"That's it! Time to go!" Garrus commed in

"Affirmative. Vehicle integrity compromised." Mordin replied. Shepard saw the emergency hatches on the vehicle pop and the pair of them spilled out into the street. Like rats from a sinking ship they leapt out the vehicle, putting its mass between themselves and the collector monster.

Even from where she was she could see they were trapped. Their ad hoc escape had bought them a little time, but as soon as the thing saw that they'd left the vehicle, it would be on them. There was no chance they'd be able to outrun it.

"Got a plan Shepard?" Garrus asked. The desecration of the vehicle continued. Large sections of hull were peeled off like paper. Sections of the interior were exposed as the armour was stripped from it.

She formed an idea, she quickly grabbed the collector beam weapon from her back. It felt strange, made of the same stuff the collectors were made of and not fitted to her hand.

"Garrus? On my mark, make a run for it! I have a plan"

"If you say so, Shepard. Just say when!"

She kept the monstrosity in her sight as much as she could as she edged along the building line. The collector fire was still striking their position and she was forced to keep her head down. She passed a couple more dead security forces. Their still bodies still sizzling under the heat of the enemy weapons.

She reached a position as close as she could get. From where she crouched, the hammerhead was still much further out from the building. Garrus and Mordin were doing their best not to be noticed.

"Go Now!" she ordered.

Immediately, she saw the two figures in the distance come sprinting towards the building and the rest of the team. She stood over her cover. She aimed at one of the exposed engine sections. . .

Garrus was in the way! She couldn't get a clear shot!

A couple of long seconds drew by as she attempted to get a clear shot. The large collector thing noticed them. Its large head turned to the fleeing figures. She keyed in her comm to tell Garrus to move.

A collector beam. She didn't see where from. It emerged from the smoke and dust of the battlefield into the fight.

It clipped Garrus in the back. Shepard watched as the turian's shields flickered and died. Sparks flew from his armour where the beam impacted. The force of it knocked him over. He fell flat on the ground. Mordin continued on, unaware of him going down.

"Garrus!" she cried out.

"Arh. . dammit!" she heard over the comm. Her heart resumed beating, not dead yet!

With no time to waste, she fired her weapon. She had a clear shot. The hammerhead looked like a desecrated carcass, body ripped open and innards spilled out on the ground.

The collector weapon kicked hard, but she fought it. A continuous beam scoured the little armour the hammerhead had left. She struggled to bring the aim round, just a foot more to the left. . . .

The hammerhead's engine compartment exploded. Stripped of armour and incised with a continuous beam of death, the highly strung capacitors detonated in a spectacular fashion.

The shock wave rippled out from the site. Mordin was thrown to the ground by the shockwave and Shepard was blown from her cover. An immense fireball of fearsome heat consumed the hammerhead and collector creature. It screeched as its wounded prey hurt it in a spiteful act of martyrdom. A thick cloud of angry, blackened smoke rose from the wreck. The pattering rain-sound of falling pieces of tiny debris sounded across the field.

She brought herself to her feet and looked out onto the scene. Mordin was bringing himself to his feet, half running half crouching back to her position. She looked for Garrus, she saw no sign. The thick smoke had spread. Visibility was low.

Mordin arrived next to her.

"Unorthodox plan. Cannot deny effectiveness." he grinned.

"Do you see Garrus?" she asked, still scanning the ground before them.

The salarian's grin faded. "Garrus. Was hit. Heard him on comm. Turned round. Explosion. Knocked from feet, visibility was poor. Hoped he made it back."

"He was knocked to the ground behind you. He's still out there."

"Garrus you there?" she asked into the comm."

Static. . .then, "Yeah, still here. Can't see for a damn. Wounded in the back, don't know how bad. Bleeding though."

"Hold on Garrus!" she replied, "We'll get you out of there!" The billowing black clouds now obscured the rest of the field. The wind had whipped them across the courtyard.

"Don't be stupid, Shepard. Stay there!" his protesting groans made their way through the comm.

"You don't know me very well do you?" she glanced to the salarian. "Mordin, with me!"

"Of course, Shepard."

The pair vaulted over the font cover and paced out in the opaque thick smoke. Visibility was limited to only a few feet, the thick black clouds of the smoke billowed around them. Occasionally she saw one of the collector seeker swarm drones fly past them. Unaware of their presence.

She scanned every shape in the clouds, putting one foot in front of another. Her omnitool registered Garrus' signature ahead of them. They kept moving in the same direction. The concrete beneath them scraping as they moved over it.

Garrus' ping was ever and ever closer. They moved with caution, careful of any. . .

KHBOOM!

A shot! It was near. It sounded like Garrus' rifle.

"Garrus? you read me?" she commed. Caution was thrown to the wind as she started running. She could hear the boots of Mordin next to her keeping pace. If they'd got to him before they did . . .

They found the turian, and almost tripped over him. They skidded to a halt in front of the turian. He'd quickly swung his rifle round to the new arrivals, but then lowered it as he recognised them.

"Why is it any time I meet you I end up getting shot?" he asked her. He tried to grin but collapsed into a coughing fit.

Only now did Shepard see the blue speckles of blood dotting the ground around him.

"Where are you hit?" she asked.

"Mid back, don't know where. Think it clipped me. Hurts like hell though."

Shepard kneeled in and applied a liberal dose of medi gel to him. She crouched next and put an arm around him.

"Come on, can you walk?"

"I can try!" He grunted in effort as he was hauled to his feet by the commander. Off in the distance, invisible to them, gunfire continued to rage. The fight continued around them.

* * *

><p>Collins fired out the window. The husks were on them. Dozens lay dead out in the vehicle area. Mown down as they traversed the plaza, but down by the defenders.<p>

They didn't care. They came on, mouths howling in indeterminate rage and agony.

He thought he sighted a couple of collectors behind them. He didn't have time to think, the husk in front of him clawed and reached for him. He brought his foot up and crushed the fragile hand again the window sill. The screech become louder and more desperate. In the borrowed time he brought up his rifle. The creature was blasted from the window. Blood and gore splayed across the surroundings beyond. A new layer on the growing film of gore surrounding the complex.

He spied another, further off. He took aim. He thought he heard someone yell beside him.

Something barrelled into him from the side. his fire sprayed wild, up the walls and ceiling. Detritus and dust fell from the rogue impacts. Knocked from his feet, he landed hard. He scrambled round. Grasping for his gun.

The turian, Garrus, lay sprawled next to him, he looked in very bad shape. The collector was perched in the window.

A massive percussive blast made his ears ring. Along with a yell from Garrus. The turian had fired his weapon, his high powered long range rifle, point blank into the collector perched over them.

The round struck the thing's shields with catastrophic force. The force that could remove a head from its shoulders half a mile away.

Its shields flickered, maybe going out.

Collins wasn't thinking. Collins was firing, he didn't know if his thermal clip was almost near replacing. He wasn't aware of the wordless yell coming from his mouth. He only saw the impacts his rounds were making on the collector. Flecks and chips were chipped off the exterior.

His gun ran empty.

The collector turned to him. Its wings unused to so confined a space. They buzzed and twitched, knocking off the surrounding walls. The beats making a noise like an automatic rifle.

It levelled its aim. Collins stared at it, disbelievingly. He watched with heightened awareness as his doom arced achingly slow towards him.

It almost got there.

From nowhere, a mass was above it. A hand clasped the weapon and ripped it away with such force as to pull the collector attached to it.

A screech sounded from it as it went sprawling. It quickly recovered, its wings beating off the walls.

A fist, a heavily armoured fist connected with the side of the collector's head. It crumpled, wings twitching momentarily from misfiring synapses. Collins forgotten, the collector jerked round to see its new assailant.

It received a shotgun blast to its head. Point blank, from Grunt's weapon. Shields gone, the rounds penetrated into the space that must have served as its head.

It collapsed. Blackened liquid oozing out of the little penetrative holes that the powerful weapon inflicted. The krogan reloaded his weapon.

Grunt looked down at Garrus and Collins, "Typical. Krogan saves the day again."

The turian grunted as he protested against his injuries, "Day's not nearly saved yet. You're job's half finished."

"Hmph." was all the reply before the giant started blasting again. A couple of husks further in the distance went down, innards shredded.

From somewhere nearby Collins thought he could hear the commander's voice.

"Damn it Garrus! I just saved your ass! No more stupid stunts!"

Collins saw the commander appear beside the half standing turian. He seemed to have trouble standing. Shepard put her arm around him and hoisted him up to a standing position.

"Come on!" she demanded, "Let's get you somewhere defensive. No more sidetracks."

She noticed the deceased collector, its vital fluids pooling on the floor. With her free foot, she kicked the weapon over to Collins, still half lying on the floor. The alien weapon scraped across the floor. It impacted his leg. He stared at it, half dazed, looking at the weapon that had so nearly ended him.

"Spread the word!" Shepard's voice said, Collins was still looking at the weapon. "You find any collector weapons, use them! Kicks through their shields like a boot up the backside."

The lieutenant turned back up to the commander. She held a collector beam weapon in one hand, a limping turian in the other.

"You hear that Collins?" she yelled. Nearby, a rattle of rifle fire stammered.

"Y-Yes commander." he managed. Concentrating to bring his thoughts back to the present.

"Good!" she replied and turned to leave, turian in tow.

The noise of the wider world returned, along with it the screaming and yelling. His rifle was in his hand. Still sitting, with absent calm and a blank look he replaced the thermal clip. The screaming continued around him.

Collin's grasped a nearby wall for support. he hauled himself up. Pain shot up his leg. He tried to put weight on it. . .failed.

He didn't curse. he didn't call for a medic. He didn't yell for help. He secured his weapon in its holster on his back and scooped up the collector one from the ground, in case he needed it. Somebody was yelling next to him, he didn't quite hear them.

He remembered their medic centre was further back into the building. His mind told him he was hurt. He concentrated, tried to think.

Yes, he thought, at last coming to a conclusion. He saw the blood on his uniform. He was hurt, he decided he should get to the med centre. Yes, he repeated to himself. That's what he needed to do.

* * *

><p>Ashley felt a vibration through the walls of the bunker. She knew what it was. She was listening in on the radio traffic of Shepard's forces up above.<p>

The hammerhead was gone. Torn to shreds apparently. She had no idea what could've torn apart a vehicle but it didn't sound too good. Shepard's team was taking a beating above. She glanced at her rifle, never far from her side, but resisted. Her place was down here, trying to get these turrets to work. The incessant comm chatter continued in her ear.

She set back to her task in the dim light, she went through another section of program. There was little she wouldn't have given just to be able to manually turn the towers around and fire at the ship. But everything was linked to the main system.

Her weary, sleep deprived eyes scanned the code on the holo-screen. The orange tinted numbers began to blur. She refocused.

The others were helping her, to various degrees. The thief, Kasumi. The krogan scientist. . .a Krogan scientist! She wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen it.

The salarian Mordin had just arrived from the lift, a coating of fine grey soot covered his body-suit.

The last though. . .

She had no idea what to make of him. Shepard had said he may be useful, so she'd gladly accepted his help, but she'd never seen anything like him. He was horrific to look at! A gross monster of cybernetic modification and augmentation. She understood the recent advances in cyber-augmentation for injured soldiers, paralysed limbs restored or the rarer mechanical limb.

He was nothing like any of that.

* * *

><p>The husk was blasted back off its feet. It crumpled in a pile on the ground.<p>

Grunt chuckled. He shot again into another. Its legs crumpled beneath it. Its face still groaning as it fell forwards onto the ground.

He finished it with another blast. The body nearly disintegrating under the force.

He breathed in, the soot and smoke of the tank wreckage perpetrated the field. There was gunfire all around him. Someone was screaming. The collector beams scraped through the air towards their positions.

Grunt felt at home.

This was what he was meant to do. To fight and win! This is what the words had taught him to do, but he had never fought before, not like this, and he had never felt the rush it gave him.

He liked it.

A hard screech sounded to his right. A chatter of mechanical noise.

Grunt saw it. The big one. The one that looked like a long legged insect. It drifted out of the smoke. Casually floating over the battlefield. Grunt had seen it in action. The thing had ripped open a tank as if it was nothing.

He'd seen Shepard detonate a tank underneath it! That had pleased him. He was warming to this Shepard woman.

Grunt respected that. Deep within him something stirred. A need.

This was a powerful enemy, much more powerful than these things he fought now.

Driven by the impulse of his instinctual code he tucked away his shotgun and pulled out the grenade launcher strapped across his back. He'd been very pleased when Shepard had allowed him this little thing from the armoury.

He levelled the thing and fired. A deep percussive blast blew out from the weapon. The projectile arced towards the thing and impacted on the side. A satisfying detonation! He then grunted in disgust as the thing's shields stopped the impact in its tracks. The shield light flaring out from around the impact area.

The creature swivelled round as it found its attacker. Piercing mechanical eyes viewed Grunt.

"Heh heh heh" Grunt chuckled as he lobbed grenade after grenade into the thing. Each grenade blew open across the thing's shields, with little effect.

The last grenade flew from the launcher. The thing was now advancing for him.

Then it halted. The krogan stood, confused as this thing stared him down for a half a second.

Its eyes started to glow. Somewhere, deep within Grunt's subconscious alarm bells rang. They drove him to leap to one side.

His subconscious saved his life as thick blue spears of energy erupted from the eyes of the creature, incinerating his last position. Grunt smelled the stench of burning concrete.

He was up. Shotgun already blasting into the thing. It turned. A slow, deliberate move. He was getting more and more pissed off at this thing's arrogance. Still, it would make it all the better for when he eventually killed it.

He jumped again, a tall order for something of his weight, as its eyes glowed once more. Once again, those beams of death tore through where he was standing on half a second ago. Pebbles and chunks of blasted stone peppered his armour.

He blasted it again,

Another shot came from elsewhere, one of the newer humans, he recognised the man's bright laser round. It peppered the side of the thing. The impacts scorched the side of the creature. While they did no lasting damage, they marked the creature.

Hmph. Which is more than these puny weapons did, Grunt thought.

The massive creature forgot about the krogan, judging him as a minor threat as it moved to face the small creature that scorched its surface.

The krogan saw the creature turn, as it did, another figure charged from the mist and soot. The other human. The one in the massive armour, he charged from the creature's rear side

He sprinted out of the smoke and dust like a colossus. His armoured feet slammed into the ground with each step.

His sword was held by his side. It crackled blue.

With the thing distracted, he managed to bring his weapon down on one of the creature's limbs. There was a blinding flash and sound like the crack of thunder as the weapon connected.

It completely sheared the leg in two!

The creature cried out in rage, jerked round to see this newcomer. Impossibly fast for something that size.

It flailed with its remaining limbs at the man, but the human was quick! Despite this, his armour slowed him down. Each dodge and roll ponderous and drawn out.

Another swipe! another gouge. This time in the carapace of the thing. A deep gorge appeared along its under section. The imprisoned heads beneath screamed out in a terrible unicry at the injury.

That was it! Grunt snorted. HE wasn't about to let this human take his prize! He lunged over his cover and began running towards the fight.

He was almost there when the collector creation attacked again. It swiped with terrible speed. Its sharp claws chipping deep gouges from the ground as they landed.

The man blocked the swipes with his weapon, even getting a couple in himself.

Then the eyes glowed again. Grunt knew what was coming next.

It fired at the human. The human's reflexes were good, but they weren't that good. The quad lance of blue death glanced one of the deep shoulder guards he wore. The force of the impact alone sent him sprawling. Knocked back through the air.

He landed with a great thud. Grunt felt the ground impact despite the fight raging around him. He didn't see the damage.

The human's weapon lay where he'd been hit.

Grunt changed direction. Lunged between the creation and the downed human. The human was shifting. Not dead yet. Took a hit from this thing and still going. Grunt respected that.

Grunt scraped the last few feet along the ground. He reached out. Grabbed the handle of the human's weapon. It was still on, the lightning still arced around the blade.

He grinned. He rolled sideways, towards the collector monstrosity. He felt the impact of an explosion nearby. It had tried to kill him again.

It failed.

He was near! He was within reach.

He roared as he leapt at the thing. One arm outstretched.

"You're mine!"

He grasped onto one of its limbs and pulled. He couldn't shift it all but he forced one of its blade limbs forward. It was all he needed.

He sliced with the human weapon. The metal cleaved straight through the thing. He felt only the slightest resistance as the metal blade passed through the impregnable hide of this thing.

The creature shrieked again. Grunt laughed, still holding the disconnected limb.

He threw it at the creature. It clanged off the head-section harmlessly.

Another side swipe. Grunt deflected it with a decisive punch of his own.

Ha! he snorted. This thing's never fought a krogan before!

Against all sensible notions, he barrelled into the thing. Slamming against its carapace.

Its head twisted and squirmed. He was underneath it! It couldn't target him with its eye beams here. He clasped onto its underside, onto one of the ridges. He was hit hard by the remaining limbs. Pain shot through him as they pummelled his sides.

"Now I've got you!" he yelled as he drove the human sword straight up through the thing's underbelly. It screamed in response. He pushed it deeper, all the way to the hilt. He heard things break and crack as the steel ruined the interior of the thing.

Suddenly, both he and the thing crashed to the ground. Must've knocked out the thing keeping it in the air, he thought.

It continued to thrash, so he stabbed it again. And again. And again.

It stopped thrashing.

Pain tore through his entire body as Grunt stood up. Victorious over his kill. Mechanical detritus littered the entire area around their struggle.

He became once again aware of the wider fight. Details in the distance. Gunfire. Shouts and yells.

The human in the armour looking at him.

Grunt raised up to full height and stepped away from the carcass. The crunch of mechanical ruins beneath him. He looked at the human, still staring. Most of the man's shoulder guard was a blacked mess. Parts looked like melted wax where his armour had melted and resolidified.

That stare. Grunt stared back. Nobody had stared at him like that before. But then he hadn't been around that long.

The intensity. The aggression. What flesh grunt could see of the old human looked as frail as a salarian infant.

The krogan grunted, satisfied with this man's drive. "Nice sword." he grunted and handed the weapon back to the man.

The human took it quickly. His face a scowl, "My thanks." he slurred through gritted teeth and turned to rejoin the fight.

* * *

><p>"No!" the massive Krogan scientist snarled across the darkened room. "The locks must be bypassed! Brute force will take too long!"<p>

""Running analysis program alongside. Will compare efficiency of program and re-adjust. Adapt. Narrow search. Cut down time." Mordin's fingers moved like lightning across the console surfaces. Keys lighting up in quick succession as his commands scrolled across the screen. His eyes flowed through the data, soaking it in with practised ease.

"Got our scanners back up!" a cry went up from the other end of the room. Kasumi vaulted over a console and ran to the centre. Immediately began working on one of the centre holo tables.

"Just need to enter friendlies. . . enemies. . .and . . .done!"

The thief looked up as the holo table came to life before her. A three dimensional topographical map of the building and surrounding area filled the table. The terrain and buildings hatched in orange. Little triangles of blue and red danced over the surface.

"Fuck!" Ashley called after looking at the map. "Look how many there are. .."

"Expletives inefficient use of time. Towers priority. Ground team will provide cover. Time running out. Resume work!"

* * *

><p>The collectors had made it inside the building!<p>

Eisenmus fired a volley with his bolter. The spent shells flew from the weapon and clanked off the wall. Scorch marks seared the walls. Dust was everywhere. Flecks of plaster-wall and rockcrete saturated the air.

A deathly beam tore next to him. A trooper was hit in the leg. The beam went straight through. The man collapsed. Screaming and clutching his ruined limb.

The fighting had continued in the courtyard for several minutes after the destruction of the hammerhead. But as the collectors brought up more and more reinforcements, the defenders had been forced to fall back within the building.

The inquisitor stepped forward. The xenos had swarmed into the lobby and auditorium. The fight had retreated deeper into the building. Into the small rooms and maze like corridors of the complex.

The collectors had initially paid dearly for their advance. The narrow corridors depriving them of their flight and funnelling them into tighter and tighter spaces, where the concentrated fire from the ragged and increasingly desperate defenders tore into them. Most of those that remained carried the xenos' own weapons now. Looted from those few they managed to dispatch. They made good use of them, keeping the collectors off balance.

And Eisenmus took advantage of this off balance. His sword was already dripping from the innards of one of them that tried to force its way past him. His armoured bulk blocked the way, the fire from his bolter prevented them from settling in one place for too long. His team was holding this corridor.

He thought he spied movement through the mist of dust and debris. He added his own fire to the cascade of blinding beam lines around him.

"Shepard? Is your area secure?" he commed.

Gunfire echoed in his ear. A massive explosion sounded close by, followed a second later through his ear.

"We're holding. Just. Down another man. We wer- . . . another series of gunfire. . .-ading back to the offices surrounding the elevator. More defensible. I advise you to do the same."

The inquisitor nodded, then remembered she wasn't here. "Acknowledged Shepard." his eyes scanned the corridor beyond. "Status of the tower team?"

"Making progress. Nothing more. Not sure of a time frame. Move your position further in. Don't get caught out in the open."

"Acknowledged Shepard" moving now.

The comm link to the commander severed. He turned to the men around behind him. "Fall back further down the corridors. There is an elevator lobby deeper in the building. Those corridors are more defensible."

"Yes sir!" came the curt reply of one of the natives. His eyes were wide and white. The rest of his face coated in dust. He relayed the order to the others and they began to move back. The ones near the front covering the retreat. Eisenmus stayed near the front, providing his bulk to those behind.

His lips moved unconsciously in prayer. Frustration grew inside him. The enemy forces remained numerous. They had been successful in funnelling the enemy, but they were giving ground.

Each step back was a step deeper into the building. The team below continued to work, though there was no sign if they were any closer to success.

The enemy wasn't letting up.

Husks continued to shamble down the corridors. The inquisitor mowed them down with his blade. His bolter rounds were low, and needed to conserve them.

Their circle shrank.

They fell in pieces around him. Those that reached him clawed and scratched at his armour, to no effect. Their twisted forms piled the corridors, leaving a trail of destruction as they retreated deeper and deeper into the building.

He and his party, in all likelihood, will die here.

Hope of success was growing increasingly faint. More and more enemy forces streamed over the corpses of their fellows. The men around him screamed, yelled, cursed and swore as they took down enemy after enemy, but they were few now. Their screams isolated and their fire disjointed from each other.

This is a last stand, he concluded with grim realization. We're probably going to die here.

He wasn't afraid. Fear wasn't quite the right word, he'd known for over a century he would die in a situation like this, in service to his institution. Quiet, peaceful deaths for inquisitors were few and far between.

Trepidation. That was closer. Trepidation. Worry. Worry that he and his party will die here. After surviving the daemon on Agrippus. After escaping off the planet they were stranded on. After finally feeling like they were getting started on finding out what was going on and why they were here. . .

To die here. . .it wasn't right. . .

He was mouthing words to the Emperor even as he thought this. His frustration grew. Why? Why on such a small planet? Assaulted by xeno he had no knowledge of? Helping a woman who worked with aliens?

He thought back. To his own time. Of his work unfinished. He remembered his projects, cases. Things he had been investigating. . .each of them so much more important than this outpost of a planet.

He found himself firing back into the mass of aliens. Chewing through his rapidly depleting ammo. His face a snarl. Why? Why here? Why after everything they'd done? Why, in the defence of a nation that colluded with xenos?!

He realised he was yelling. His voice being absorbed by the turmoil around him.

* * *

><p>"Got it!" The salarian cried out in the dark space. "Try the upload!"<p>

Ashley hurried over to her primary console and entered in the correct sequence to begin the upload of their newer, modified targeting code to the towers. The little completion bar seemed to migrate tortoise-like across the screen. It finally finished. The code began installing.

She realised she'd been holding her breath since the start of the upload.

The confirmation window appeared onscreen. Her eyes fearfully scanned the contents.

It informed her all the turret systems were now operational. The faulty code was replaced with newer, working commands.

"That did it!" she exclaimed. "Yeah! Targeting systems online! We need power! Hakkon, activate the turrets!" she looked over to the magos.

"The spirits are willing. Transferring now." Hakkon responded. His will was sent along the wireless bridge he had established with the spirits of the bunker.

He transmitted the approval ties and unleashed the spirits of the turrets into the collector ship. They screamed with zeal at being unleashed finally and let out of their cold metal cages.

He muttered the blessings to the spirits as he went. Speed was of the essence, so in order to deliver the proper sanctimonies in time he activated a secondary speaker to work in tandem with his primary speaker, each uttering separate binaric passages of worship to the machine god.

Swirls of binary prayer and benedictions to the Omnissiah surrounded the magos as he interfaced with the foreign spirits of the turrets. They were not those blessed of the omnissiah, but in killing the xeno ship they were doing his holy work.

He saw beyond the narrow view of human vision. Through the floor he saw bright rivers of electricity, the light of the Omnissiah flowing into the tower capacitors.

The towers he had learned, were able to draw power directly from the colony's main power grid. Failing that, they had smaller back up generators buried deep within the earth. They weren't as powerful, but they could keep the towers powered despite the colony being compromised.

The colony had been swarmed many hours ago. In that time, any activity had ceased as the populace was frozen where they stood.

All activity had stopped, and one by one the many automated spirits of the colony, from motion sensing lights to production lines had shut themselves off one by one, waiting for human confirmation and input into their thought processes.

The mechanical body of the colony had put itself to sleep, awaiting its next orders from its human operators.

The orders never came.

Instead the machines and processes sat idle, dull dimly flashing screens displayed confirmation signs and option menus.

All this time, the generators continued to perform as they were tasked. Filling up the colony's capacitors and power storage, unaware of the turmoil taking place on the surface above them.

Hakkon could see them, even from this distance. The intense EM field swirling like stellar corona. Lines of magnetic force twisted through the air. He found the centre and made an estimate of the power required. He felt the spirits within him cry in worship of the power.

He'd sought out the capacitor guardian-spirits and requested that they release some of their holy power. They were only too happy to oblige, he felt their trepidation at the inexorable build up of raw power and what that would mean for them.

The turret spirits cried his name as he dispensed an entire colony's worth of power onto them. He felt their rage, their anger, their fury. They activated, brought their co-horts online. Ran their modified targeting programs.

They found their target.

They yearned, pleaded with him to be loosed. To be unleashed upon this thing that was not transmitting the proper IFF signals.

The team gave them their wish. They targeted the xenos ship.

The complex shook. The sounds of the turrets above reverberated through the structure. The guns above were las weapons, and thus used no projectile. But the crack of trillions of molecules being torn open produced a sound equal to howitzers.

He felt it even in here. The ionization of the air as the towers saturated the surrounding air with energy. An invisible cloud of static hung around him. His minor circuits and systems tingled at its touch.

Task completed, he withdrew himself from the systems of the machine, executing a disengage call as he left.

"Shepard. This is Hakkon. The Turrets are online. Praise the Omnissiah."

* * *

><p>Outside, tortured air molecules screamed as the monstrous power of the guardian turrets split them in two.<p>

Originally, the turrets were to act as a air defence grid. Locking on to ships many, sometimes up to a hundred kilometres away.

But a laser that's fired for any distance, especially through an atmosphere, suffers from power dissipation. The power and strength of the weapon being absorbed by the molecules it travels through.

Sometimes, when a laser eventually impacts its target, its strength is a mere fraction of what it was when it started.

Not here.

The towers rotated and locked onto the collector vessel hanging right over their heads. The furthest tower was only two kilometres away from its target. Point blank range.

Bolstered by the colony's overloaded power grid the towers unloaded volley after volley of undissipated, unrestrained fire into the vessel. Any single hit from the towers at this range with this much power would have blown clean through a standard cruiser.

With durability mirroring the collectors on the ground, the collector vessel weathered the storm. Blackened calluses were burned into the side which would have spelled instant doom for any other vessel. The exposed metal fared worse, areas melting and running under the immense heat. Areas of brightly glowing molten metal, some the size of buildings, dripped down the side of the vessel.

Despite the relentless bombardment. The vessel slowly deployed its engines. A massive blast of displaced air was blown over the colony. Vehicles tipped, collector pods were thrown about and those still out in the open were blown off their feet.

It started its ponderous rise into the sky. The mind failed to grasp how something that big could manage to fly. It defied the mind and continued skyward. Great ugly jets of propellant flaring behind it.

The towers continued its arc into the sky. They kept firing into the vessel, the angle of attack becoming steeper and steeper as it rose into the heavens. Almost vertical, impacting the vessel in the underside.

Suddenly an explosion tore through its engine section. It set off several smaller ones until the rear section of the vessel was consumed in fire. A lucky hit, perhaps? Or maybe the the blasts had finally taken their toll.

The jets of propellant stopped.

It hung in the air, motionless, before the inevitable pull of gravity grappled it back towards the planet.

It began to fall.

* * *

><p>Around her, people were cheering. Some wept, others laughed. The ear-splitting din of the nearby turrets tore through the air, but it was a sound all present were welcome to hear.<p>

Soon after the turrets had come back online, the remaining collectors had left. Abruptly cut off their attack and retreated. NO doubt back to their ship, but Shepard wasn't about to complain.

Amidst the celebration, her earpiece chirped.

"Shepard?! Shepard do you read me?!" it was Ashley.

With a massive grin on her face Shepard keyed the comm, "What is it Ash, you cut it close but you. . ."

"SHEPARD! Listen to me! Get everyone down here NOW! The thing. . the ship, its coming back down!"

Her smile disappeared, "What?!"

"We hit a vital system? Malfunction? don't care. Shepard, get down here NOW!"

With dread seeping into her system, she leapt back on the comm, "Everyone! This is Shepard. Everyone get to the lift NOW. The collector vessel's coming back down! Its about to crash. We don't have much time! MOVE!""

The cheers and laughs disappeared instantly, giving rise to outright panic. Her team ran towards the lift.

* * *

><p>Fires across its hull trailed lines of smoke through the sky. Spits of engine flare erupted from its ruined tail section as it fell through the air, back towards the colony. From the ground, it still looked the size of a bird, slowly descending through the air like a feather.<p>

* * *

><p>She stood beside the doors, waving people in. The lift was big and could accommodate a large group.<p>

Still. . . with Grunt and Eisenmus. . she was fearful.

One after one they arrived, sprinting to the doors. The eldar, the imperials, grunt, garrus, mordin jack, jacob, the Horizon security. . . One by one they they arrived, all bearing wounds. There was an odd charge in the air. A tension grew with each moment.

Collins ran round the lobby door. He drew level with her before entering.

"Go! I'm the last!"

She nodded and threw herself into the press of bodies stuffed into the small space. She slammed the descend button with the back of her fist.

* * *

><p>It grew larger and larger. It hadn't managed to begin its orbital turn before losing power. It was coming down right where it had taken off. The towers continued their willful attack, uncomprehending of the vessel's strange change in direction.<p>

* * *

><p>The lift descended towards the lower level. The little counter at the top counting up through the negative numbers.<p>

The doors opened, revealing the control centre beyond.

The lift arrived. They spewed out into the control centre. The lift doors shut behind them.

Silence.

Silence reigned in the bunker, before the world convulsed in tortured pain as the great collector ship collided with the planet.


	14. Aftermath

_Author's Note: It's back with a vengeance!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fourteen: Aftermath<strong>

The spinning globe of the Planet Horizon hung silently in the void. If one were looking closely enough, one would make out a tiny flash of light in the southern hemisphere. It would flash, silently and briefly, before disappearing. The planet would take no notice of this but continue to hang in the void, continuing its perpetual orbit.

Several hours later, many millions of miles away and on the other side of the star system, there was another flash. An observer would only see it if they knew exactly when and where to look.

The system's mass relay activated. Blue white brilliance shone in the dark for but a moment. Out of the flash, four ships emerged into view around the structure. With military precision they orientated themselves towards the planet of Horizon. Their engines ignited and they began at breakneck speed to the planet. Their angled grey and blue hulls catching the light of the system's sun, illuminating the insignia of the Systems Alliance on their flanks.

* * *

><p>The taste of dust and smoke lingered in her mouth. The room was dark. The low, orange illumination of the emergency lighting glowed. Sparks of white brilliance flashed in the distance. Electrical cords were rent loose from the wall and structure.<p>

Shepard was on the floor. She coughed. A cloud of dust kicked up in front of her face. Everything ached. Fighting her protesting limbs, she stood. Must have been knocked to the floor in the impact, she thought. She looked round, a bit bruised and sore, but otherwise in one piece. The rest of her party didn't look like they fared much better.

The room was a ruin. Debris littered the floor. Several consoles on the wall had been destroyed. The great, solid concrete beams overhead were buckled and cracked. In some cases, they'd failed altogether.

"Everyone okay?" she yelled out to the room.

A chorus of ayes and groans came back to her.

She surveyed the room. Her yell had startled some back to consciousness. She made her way over to Ashley, who remained still on the floor.

"Ash?" She clasped the marine's shoulder. "Ash, you with me?"

The marine groaned in response, before shifting. "Yes, yes I hear you Shepard."

Shepard let out a breath she'd been holding in. She checked the marine's armour for damage. No obvious cracks or dents, good. Lot of scratching though. Must've happened when the debris got shaken loose from the roof.

Satisfied her former comrade was stable enough, "Good! We need to find out just what happened. What's the last thing you remember?"

The marine was silent for a moment, her expression puzzled. Shepard saw a gash of red on her cheek. A bleed? In the low light it was difficult to make anything out in its diffuse tones of orange.

"Nothing. . . .then a massive noise and screeching. Then the world ended."

"You're bleeding."

"Yeah. Isn't deep, it's fine."

Shepard smiled, "World hasn't ended yet Ash. Not for us at least. Come on, I'll help you up."

She put her arm around her shoulders and hauled her to her feet. Ashley protested, but eventually relented. A barrage of unlady-like curses streamed from the marine's mouth.

"You injured?" Sheppard asked. Fearing the marine might have broken something.

"What? No, no just aches like hell. Fell on my arm badly. Nothing broken. I can still move it fine, it just hurts like shit."

Ashley looked at the commander, "Shepard the collectors, are they gone?"

"You're going to help me find that out, lieutenant." Her former crew member under one arm, Shepard grabbed an undamaged chair nearby and shoved the marine into it. Another series of protests as she slumped up against the control panel.

She considered it for a moment. "They must be gone, or else I don't think we' be waking up like this."

"Yeah the collectors may be gone. . ." realisation beginning to dawn over the lieutenant's face, "but what about the colony Shepard. What happened to it, we all saw that ship fall."

"I don't know Ash." A question she'd been trying to avoid herself. She looked towards the entrance. The doors had been bent out of shape. The crumpled remains of the lift carriage behind them. On top of it, a mountain of rock had filled the lift shaft, smashing the lift car underneath. It was completely unusable.

"We're going to have to find another way out of here." Shepard said. She accessed the terminal, most of the systems were offline. "Ash, can you see if these transmitters are still working? We need to get a message out that we're still down here."

"I'll try, but these machines look pretty banged up. The bunker's built for things like this, but the equipment up on the surface. . ." She shook her head, "It'll be a miracle if it survived an impact like that. "

"Just try ash, that's all I ask. I'll see if anyone else needs help."

"I'll get right on it." she replied.

* * *

><p>The four alliance ships drifted into orbit over Horizon. Their sensors and crews in a state of high alert. There had been a warning, a tip off, that it was under attack from an unknown enemy.<p>

All aboard had heard the rumours about colonies in the Terminus Systems going silent, never to be heard from again. No-one knew who was doing it, or why.

They only knew that now, they were the ones assigned to investigate.

Their sensors flashed. A contact! It was small and fast. It was rising up through the planet's atmosphere, out of a strange cloud of EM interference. The crews checked their stations, ready for any eventuality.

Everyone visibly relaxed then, when the contact began broadcasting Council Spectre-level codes.

The small ship sent a request to talk with the commander of the larger ships. It was allowed.

* * *

><p>Captain Tomms of the SSV Trident viewed the tac-screen with suspicion. A trap was possible. . . They had hurried here because of a warning of an attack but all they find is a small, lone frigate? A frigate rising up from a strange EM disruption on the surface?<p>

He interrogated the information the sensors were bringing in from the frigate. They were displayed in holo text in front of him. Around him, officers worked in the Trident's CIC.

"Captain!" one of them called out. "The new vessel is requesting to talk to you."

He gave a silent nod, and the crewman redirected the incoming transmission to his earpiece.

"This is Captain Tomms of the SSV Trident responding to a possible attack upon the planet Horizon. Identify yourself!" His voice calm and firm. Laced with the confidence that comes from superior firepower.

The vessel responded. "This is Joker, pilot of the SR-2 Normandy. We're glad you're here sir!"

The captain looked back at the holo data hovering a couple of feet to his right. A pilot? The codes weren't right!

"You're transmitting with spectre codes! Explain yourself."

"Spectre Shepard gave me instruction to transmit on these frequencies to any alliance ships that might show up."

The captain paused for a minute, weighing the situation. Like everyone else, he'd heard about the recent developments on the citadel. A new species discovered and the legendary commander Shepard back from the dead. Good stuff. . .the media were having a frenzy.

"Very well, put me through to her."

"I'm sorry sir, can't do that. We lost contact with her when the collector ship crashed. Her last location was on the surface."

"Collector?" the captain queried. He'd heard of them, galactic bogeymen terrorizing the outskirts of the known universe. No-one back at the academy took them seriously.

"You sure it's not just some puffed up. . ."

"With respect, captain. I am sure. I'm sending you all the telemetry we've gathered. See for yourself. The important fact is that Shepard and her team went to the surface to investigate. We lost contact with them four hours ago. We request assistance in locating them. "

Galactic bogeymen, terrorizing the edges of known space. . .Entire colonies going silent. . . two separate worlds were beginning to slide uncomfortably close for Captain Tomms' liking.

"Very well. Fall in beside and maintain fleet formation. You are not to scurry off without my say so, are we clear?"

"Yes, captain."

"Alright, I want an overview of what happened, starting from when you arrived."

* * *

><p>Back on the surface, far away from the capital of Discovery, several grav-vehicles lay parked in a small gulley. It was narrow, with deep natural earth banks on either side and trees covering the ridge lines.<p>

Leaves fell, perhaps more than was normal. Blown clean off the branches by the explosion at Discovery.

Zaeed stood leaning against one of the grav cars. Blowing smoke into the wind. He smelt something on the air, and it wasn't the smoke from his cigarette. Acidic and dry. He didn't want to know the state of the town he and his party had fled.

He flicked the cigarette away and returned to the group.

"Any word?" he asked the security guard. Lieutenant Kaleson and the few that remained behind at the precinct were with him. They had all watched the destruction of the city with their own eyes and were on edge at best. He'd sent the lieutenant and the rest to the top of the ridge line to watch for collectors.

"No, no word yet sir." he frightened youth replied. Jeez, thought Zaeed, he can't be older than 20. . .

The young officer sat in one of the vehicles, an open topped civilian model. He was listening into the only high power comm unit they'd managed to stash with them when they'd made their getaway.

"No worries, keep listenin' " Zaeed replied and made his way to the back car. He listened to the gentle rustle of the wind between the leaves. This place could've been called pleasant, if a collector ship hadn't slammed into a city 5 miles away. . .

He approached the back car. All the doors were lying open. He found Miranda laying across the back seats - a compact medical apparatus still attached to her waist. She was holding a datapad with one hand above her.

He leaned on the doorframe and peered in, "You're supposed to be resting, turn it off!"

"You think I can rest given the mess we're in?" she snapped, then winced at the sudden movement. "The mess I'm In?"

Zaeed grunted. Even from where he stood the wound still looked bad. The bleeding had been stopped for the moment but there were still red patches appearing on the seats below her wound.

"No. But you can bloody try." the old merc replied. Her unimpressed face displayed her enthusiasm.

"Any word?" she asked. Despite her snarky tone, there was the unmistakable trace of concern. A concern the old merc shared.

He looked to the ridge line. "No. Not yet. Whatever was in that thing when it went up is playing havoc with any comm signals. The whole damn city's blank. "

A pause from Miranda. The unspoken meaning heavily pregnant on the air. . .

"They were under it, Zaeed. What. . ."

"She'll pull through. . " Zaeed said, almost to himself.

"Look. Zaeed, I know this must be difficult. I know. . .I know what she means to you."

"Yeah, I know you do." he muttered. He took a small pleasure in noticing the surprise on her face, "You admitted as much in your drugged daze in the infirmary."

"I did? I . . don't remember."

"Well. . . you did. Your concern is noted." he drew another cigarette and lit it. Smoke breathed from his nostrils.

"You needn't worry." he said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "My little girl'll pull through."

* * *

><p>Under the rubble and ruin of the former turret control centre, there was a lone point of scurried activity. All members were recovered, some wounded, but none dead. Garrus and Jacob were the worst off. Jacob's useless arm limited his contribution to being a second pair of eyes for others. Garrus still lay on the floor, his wounds too grievous to allow him to move.<p>

The rest were preoccupied with getting the comm systems back online. Anyone with any technical knowledge of the systems was helping. The efforts frustrated however, as something was blocking the signal. They'd all seen the large ship go down, but they feared the return of another.

"I don't understand!" Ashley said, her fists were clenched in frustration on the dust caked control surface. "the signal should be getting through!"

Mordin worked beside her. He was looking at the same problem. "Sensors working. Massive EM fluctuation detected on surface. Intense. Parallels with atomic detonation."

"They dropped a nuke?"

"No. Not directly. Collector ship wreckage probable cause. Engine meltdown, fuel leak. Number of things. Will run more tests."

"What about the colony?" If this is what we look like and we're 400m underground. . ."

Shepard approached them, it looked like she overheard the last segment of the conversation. "Let's not think about it, for now we need a way to contact the Normandy and to get out of here. "

The commander was right, still Ashley couldn't help her mind wander. The human brain can be so terribly imaginative when you really don't want it to be. "Agreed, what about the lift shaft? Any luck with that?"

She shook her head. "No, the krogan and imperials tried to budge the rubble.. . But it's entirely filled with rubble and debris. There's no way we're shifting it all"

"So we need to get someone to come dig us out. . ."

"How much air do we have down here?" she asked Ashley.

"Air isn't a problem. This facility was designed to operate in isolation, has its own air recycling. The problem is food and water. We don't have any. This place is only just up and running. Half the desks aren't even in yet."

"Let's hope we don't stay here that long. . "

"Amen to that."

The commander turned to her monitor screen, hoping to dissect some glimmer of hope from the lines of code. "Anything?" Shepard asked.

"Nothing." she sighed, "Systems went out when the ship crashed. Only thing that's working is the emergency beacon."

"I spoke with Hackett about the collectors attacking here before we arrived. With luck, someone's already on their way."

The marine didn't look convinced. "What's the real chance of that? Do you know how many brass and bureaucratic naysayers we had to strong arm our way past just to get these towers here?"

Shepard understood. Alliance aid was a forlorn hope at best. Even with her impromptu advance warning to Hackett there was little chance he'd actually manage to convince anyone that sending something is an acceptable risk.

She looked back up at the marine, the stain of red on her cheek had grown. "You sure that wound's fine?" she indicated.

"Its fine Shepard. I've had the medic look at it. He says it's fine."

She looked at her former commander. "Now I can ask you, what the hell are you doing here?"

Where to start? Shepard thought. She could see the remnants of distrust in the face of the marine. "You said I died. That's actually true. The collectors attacked the Normandy. . ..the first one I mean."

The rigid, questioning mask began to soften a little.

"I died in space. . ." Shepard said, saying it out loud for the first time since it happened.

"I'm sorry. . . I didn't . . "

"No, its fine. Cerberus brought me back. Somehow. Took them years and more money than I could ever believe, but they did it."

The suspicious mask returned. "That's why you're with them now?"

"No. I'm not WITH them!" She was sick of having to make the same point to everyone. "They're helping me investigate these collector attacks, nothing more. No-one else is even bothering to bat an eye."

"Shepard. They're Cerberus."

"I know ash."

"Shepard." She whispered in quiet tones. She looked round. Made sure Jacob was out of earshot. "Alliance intel said Cerberus could be behind the missing colonies. We even got a tip that this one was the next to be hit."

"We got a tip off too. Only from Cerberus. They said it would be collectors."

"Shit! I don't buy this Shepard. Both alliance and Cerberus getting a tip off at the exact same time, with one blaming the other. Something's going on here, commander."

"I know Ash, and I intend to find out. But we both want the same thing here. Protect these colonies. "

"You sure about that? Or is that just what they want you to think? They've never done anything for the public good in the past."

Exasperated, Shepard sighed. "Ash. I will take a battalion of marines, or an Alliance cruiser, any day of the week! I would jump at the opportunity."

She held her arms out, gesturing around her. "But they haven't given me anything. They don't believe me. They refused to see! They gave me no help."

She looked back, "But now Ash," rapped her visor. "We have the whole thing on camera. This place's log, my armour cam's vid feed. The sheer volume of info here! We can finally show them!"

Ashley looked to the screen before back to her commander. Shepard could see the wheels turning. Maybe she could convince her former crewman that she wasn't in league with terrorists.

"Help me Ash! We can do this. We won't even need Cerberus if we can get the alliance on our side!"

She could see Ashley think. There was a struggle there, "I'll. . .I'll help you show this to the alliance. Nothing more. I won't have anything to do with Cerberus."

"Thank you Ash."

* * *

><p>A growl of effort. A loud crash of falling rock.<p>

Okeer strode up to the tankborn. It was still trying to dislodge the rubble from the lift shaft. It was futile, anyone could see that. Any headway made was quickly filled by less stable debris on top.

It noticed him. "Okeer."

He nodded back in greeting. "Grunt."

"What are you doing old man?" Grunt asked him.

"Stand still. I need to take readings." He produced a datastick from one of his waist containers and attached it to a small recess in the back of Grunt's shoulder armour. It would relay vital lifesigns and telemetry back to Okeer's omnitool.

"Why?" His voice rumbled. Like a low running combustion engine.

"This is the first time you've been combat tested. I need data." He rapped the controls of his omnitool and began downloading the data.

Grunt scoffed. "I don't need tests. I'm ready." He turned to look at Okeer square in the eye.

Okeer's face turned to a grimace as he indicated the ugly gashes that peppered Grunt's armour. "The wounds you took say otherwise. You're sloppy and uncoordinated. Not unusual for something tankborn such a short while ago."

A snort of anger."This tank born could beat you to the floor, old man."

Okeer's attention was back to the data. "Quite possible. Still, will run the tests and get my data." He prodded the tankborn on the chestplate. A near death sentence for anyone else. "Our race's future depends on your stubborn genetic code, so suck it up and shut up."

* * *

><p>In a secluded corner of the room, away from the gathering of the natives and eldar, the three imperials gathered.<p>

"What do you mean warp?" Hayt asked. He was wrapping a bandage around his arm. A minor wound where some debris had fallen on him. He'd been offered medigel by the salarian, but he refused. His ingrained distrust prevailing.

_Beware of xenos baring gifts. . ._

"The magos here detected a warp signature coming from one of the xenos. The yellow glowing one." Eisenmus replied.

"Yes." muttered Hakkon without looking up. His attention was focused on the inquisitor's armour, making quick patches and highlighting areas for future repairs once he had the proper equipment. His red lens eyes flickered as sparks flew from the welder attached to one of his mechadendrites. "Ozone concentrations match those of warp presence. Radiation spike consistent."

"Was it a daemon?" The stormtrooper asked.

"Evidence suggests not. While warp signature present. Spatial disturbance amplitude far below that of even minor warpspawn. If it were daemon, it could never have entered the materium with that little power." His mechadendrite withdrew and reconfigured into a tool resembling a drill. A high pitched whining sounded as he activated it.

Hayt considered this, "hmm. . .do the eldar know?"

Eisenmus nodded, "They know. The farseer sensed something was amiss before we even encountered the creature. She saw the warp long before Hakkon did."

"What should we do about it?"

"For the moment, nothing. We're trapped under this rubble the same as everyone else here. When we get out of here we'll search their records for anything like what we just saw."

The magos stopped muttering prayer under his breath to interject, "The searches I have made until the present make no mention of anything like what we witnessed, lord."

"We'll search still."

The magos nodded obediently, and went back to work on the armour.

"What of the signal Hakkon?" Eisenmus asked. "Any more news?"

The power tools stopped whining. The magos paused in his work, "My spirits have dissected its data ruthlessly, lord. I apologize but I cannot enhance the quality further."

Hayt leaned in. "What do we do about that? We need to do something, my lord."

"We will wait." Eisenmus saw the look on the stormtrooper's face. The three of them had almost died in a mission that circumstance forced them to participate in. Their collective patience was being stretched.

He made to ease their concern, "Remember the statue in their citadel? Remember when we left it was surrounded in xenos, investigating it and gawping at it."

"Yes. . ."

"We don't want that to happen to whatever there is out there. The signal is imperial. If there's an ally out there, I won't have these xenos swarming over possibly the only connection we have to getting back to where we belong."

The wheels of conflict churned in the stormtrooper's mind. Finally, he nodded, "Aye. Understood lord."

Eisenmus spoke out-loud, almost to himself as he attempted to form his thoughts into a cohesive strategy. "Shepard works for their council. A council comprised of xenos. If she knows, by extension the council knows."

"We can't just head off there on our own, we've got no way to get there."

"No. ." A thought! "Not yet at least. . ."

"You've thought of something?"

The inquisitor looked round, saw Shepard in the distance. Superstitiously feeling if even thinking about his plan would make her suspicious.

"Maybe."

* * *

><p>The thoughts and lights of those in the room with her swirled around her. So close. So isolated. Glaedara sat cross-legged on the floor. Away from the main concentrations of people. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the glances and scrutiny from those native monkeigh of this planet. Only five of them were left, survivors of a treacherous gauntlet that left so many of their fellows fallen on the streets above them.<p>

She turned her gaze to the city above them. So little lights. . . so sparsely dispersed.

Above, like a familiar sun now, the overarching light of the imperial trinket, now somewhere in orbit. She felt its presence, its intensity was that strong.

She filtered out the noise and conversations surrounding her. She sought guidance and reflection on recent events. She calmed her breathing, and peered inward.

These things. The collectors, pillagers and raiders of human worlds. They knew of eldar.

The implications were concerning. She recalled its words.

_"Eldar, Arrogant, Compatibility Confirmed"_

"_Simple minds of blood and flesh. Made by those who brought turmoil to the universe. The eldar, ascended. With ascension came peace."_

This told her much, but left much unexplained.

They knew of the eldar on sight, which meant they had been spacefaring for centuries, if not millennia. Eldar very rarely actually revealed themselves, either in diplomacy or war, to other races. Interactions between eldar and the other races only occurred once every couple of centuries, and only in times of desperation.

Arrogant - a common term utilised by the younger races to describe those that merely possessed a greater understanding of reality. Another clue, the eldar had preceded this species.

Her hypotheses went to dark places . . '_simple minds of blood and flesh'_ implying the owner possessed something different? . . .

What worried her most. More than anything, was the knowledge this creature had admitted that was known only to those that choose the path of the historian, who study the history of the Eldar, who strip away the ancient myths and legends and look into the deep past.

To the old ones. . .

_"Made by those who brought turmoil to the universe. . ."_

They knew of the old ones!

Glaedara knew of only one other race that knew of the old ones. The only other species that was around at the dawn of the galaxy. But they didn't match these collectors. She had never heard of the old enemy having a voice, let alone to voice threats to their opponents. They preferred extermination, these collectors preferred to capture.

Too many blanks. What was she looking for? How were things connected?

Ever since arriving in this new place the warp was quiet. No trace could be found on any of the starships or people inhabiting this world.

That is, of course, until today.

The things that they fought today. They had a presence in the great ocean, but it was disjointed, strange. It existed in a way unlike anything she'd faced.

She thought back . .back to those individuals and occurrences that gave a strange wake in the warp.

That rogue human astropath. . . who could mask his presence behind a veil of interference.

The monkeigh cult dedicated to the she who thirsts. . . .who had discovered a means to draw their power from physical, corporeal stimuli as opposed to the immaterium. .

She winced, the craftworld civil war. . . .so much hate. And darkness. . how the walls had wailed with sorrow . . .never since had she felt so much raw emotion. .

Emotion! That was the word. Those experiences had been driven by emotion, by feeling. The very stuff of the immaterium

Today, no emotion, only a cold, unfeeling exterior. She hadn't been close enough to probe deeper, but even where she had, been she could feel that the typical raw psychic forces of emotion and feeling were absent from whatever the had faced today.

She looked out, seeing if it was still there.

Nothing. Whatever it had been, it was gone now. Probably destroyed in the colossal explosion that took place above them.

She breathed out. She realized she was breathing erratically, it was upsetting her concentration. She brought herself back under control and resumed her analysis.

Her vision. The one . . this Shepard woman possessing the hand of Khaine? Glaedara was more confident in the truth of her vision. It was clear from today that where Shepard went, destruction followed. Letting her mind drift close to the barrier between the real and the immaterial she peered past the light of the sigil and into the warp. Seeking a confirmation of her vision.

Through the haze of psychic light above. She saw glimpses what she saw before, the Shepard woman with the bloody hand of Khaine, over a galaxy screaming in terror.

* * *

><p>A ping sounded on the Normandy's cockpit. EDI identified it immediately.<p>

"Mr Moreau, I am picking up a repeating signal from the area surrounding the crash site. It is broadcasting on alliance channels."

"Really? What's it say?" he flicked over to the comm screen to take a look himself.

"It has no content. It is a simple series of repeating pulses. Nevertheless, it displays the characteristics of a deliberate structure."

"I'll take it." Joker responded. Eager to jump on any lead. They'd been out of contact for several hours now. Everyone was on edge.

"How'd we pick it up through the interference? Thought that was blocking all our signals."

"My analytics show the interference is decreasing over time. It has only just decreased enough that I was able to detect it."

"Put me through to Captian Tomms, let's investigate this."

"Connecting you now, Mr Moreau."

A brief pause before the captain's voice came through on the cockpit speakers, "Captain Tomms, what have you got for me?"

"Captain, this is Joker. We've picked up a weak repeating signal from the crash site. Its broadcasting on alliance channels. The interference around the site is weakening over time so we just picked it up. Coming through on these channels" he swiped the controls to forward the relevant channels to the other alliance ships." Can you confirm?"

A pause from the other end of the line. Finally the comm bursts to life again. "We see it Joker." enthusiasm was plain in his voice. "Looks like it's buried under a heap of scrambled junk. Never would have seen it with our sensors if we didn't know where to look."

"I'd like to do a low level sweep, see if we can narrow it down a bit." Partly true, Joker thought to himself. In honesty he just wanted to get back down there and see it for himself. Didn't feel right, sitting up here for hours while god knows what's happening to the team down there. . .

To his relief, there was no hesitation from the captain.

"Acknowledged. Bring back a detailed sweep of the colony. We're prepping recovery parties as we speak. Doesn't look good though, radiation signatures down there are significant."

"Yeah. . I know. Thank you sir, Joker out." The connection with the lead alliance ship cut off as the Normandy peeled away from the star shaped formation hovering over the planet and burned downwards towards the surface.

* * *

><p>"Sir!" The young security officer rushed over to Zaeed, almost tripping over himself, "Sir! We've got a signal!"<p>

Zaeed flicked his cigarette away into the wilderness, "Show me."

The pair hurried to the comm set. The officer brought up the relevant data on his omnitool. He pointed to a blip descending through the atmosphere towards the city. "Close. . . and closing."

"Let me see. . ." a weak voice came from behind them. Miranda was limping towards them.

Zaeed grunted. "You should be on your back. Nothing good can come of putting pressure on that wound."

She rounded on him. "I'm not dead and I'm not useless." She turned on the young guard. "Show me the files" she commanded.

She checked the ID "Its the Normandy. . ." she said, relief plain in her voice.

"You sure?" the old merc asked.

"Yes. I am." she turned back to the officer, pulled his arm to get at his omnitool screen and typed in a series of commands. "Return this code. On this channel"

The guard nodded and typed in the code. They waited, a minute, maybe two before they got a return signal.

A signal they were all welcome to hear. "This is the SR-2 Normandy. This is Joker, is anyone down there?"

Miranda leaned in, her voice still weak. She looked like she was putting up an immense struggle. "Joker! This is. . . " cough," this is Miranda. What's your status?"

"Miranda? Its good to hear you. The Normandy's executing a low sensor sweep of the city. Where are you?"

"About 5 kilometers outside of the city boundary. We fled the city before the ship came down."

"What about Shepard and the others?"

She paused for a minute, looked over to Zaeed, who shrugged.

"We don't know Joker. We. .hnngh. .we got separated."

"Miranda, are you ok? You don't sound so good"

"I'm fine Joker , just. . Hey!" she protested as Zaeed snatched the headset off of her. She protested but she was too weak to resist.

"Joker, Zaeed here. We need a med team for Miranda. She's badly wounded. No bloody clue how the rest of 'em are doing. They were right under the bloody thing when it came down. You need to let people on the outside know what's gone on here."

"We already have a small alliance fleet in orbit. They need to know where they can start putting people down to help."

Alliance ships here? "How?. .Never mind. Shepard was going on about the new alliance turrets that got installed. So why don't they start anywhere where they installed their tech in the last few days?"

"Acknowledged. you need to move as well. We're getting radiation readings from all over the city. Whatever was in that thing when it went down does not like human anatomy. Rendezvous at these coordinates. We'll send Chakwas with a med shuttle to bring Miranda back to the infirmary."

"Aye, sounds peachy. Zaeed out." he turned to the device operator. "You get the co-ords?"

"Y-Yah," the man stuttered.

"Alright, we're moving out! That includes you Miranda," he pointed. Their eyes met in a staring match for a few moments before she relented. The stress on her system too much to bear.

She limped back to the car and opened the door. Zaeed helped her in as she moaned in pain from the extra movement.

Minutes later all three cars were in the air. A miniature convoy of survivors heading for the co-ordinates that the Normandy supplied.

* * *

><p>The damaged turian lay on the floor next to her. His eyes were shut, he must have heard her, because he turned and opened them when she crouched next to him.<p>

"How're you holding up Garrus?" Shepard asked.

"Shepard. . ." his eyes flickered. His head couldn't stay upright, drifting from left to right.

She waved her hand in front of his vision. "Garrus you with me?"

He chuckled, then coughed." It's fine Shepard. Doc says wounds are as good as he can make them. I've so much medi gel going through my system though. . " He grinned. " is good stuff."

She smiled back, "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Garrus strained. His eyes visibly trying to focus, "Which one? The left you or the right you?"

Shepard grunted in approval and placed her hand on the turian's shoulder. "Keep resting Garrus." she rose to leave.

"Shepard," he called. She turned back. "You're . . .I mean. . I never did thank you. For Omega"

She waved her hand, "Don't worry about it."

"No," he shook his head. "It's important. When you arrived. . I hadn't slept in days, Shepard. I thought you were a hallucination."

She crouched back down next to him, listening.

"I thought. . . I thought it was great. I thought my brain conjured you up. . .see you one last time before the mercs got me. ..

"You were in really desperate spot when we found you, sometimes the brain can make you think things that don't make sense."

"Yeah. . I mean, that's the point. It didn't make sense. But it did . . . It was only after you died, that I . . .that I. ." the turian's speech trailed off. He fell back into a medigel induced haze.

"Garrus?" She tried clicking her fingers in front of him. No response. "Doc!" she called out.

Mordin arrived moments later. He carefully knelt down next to the turian and examined him.

"Ah, sedatives kicking in. Vitals stable. Responding to treatment. Outlook, positive." the salarian muttered in a constant stream. "Don't worry, he's fine. Movement discouraged. Should recover well."

* * *

><p>Clink, clink,<p>

A sound of falling rubble echoed through the chamber. Heads turned quickly to the source. They were all too aware of the many cracks in the support beams above them. It would only take one overly stressed joint for a portion of the room to cave in.

Scraping. Rocks grinding. There was something off. It became more regular. It wasn't just the random movement of loose rocks, but large amounts of stone being shifted systematically.

The noise was coming from the lift shaft.

"Hey!" Jacob yelled up the blocked shaft. His voice inhumanly loud in the confined space. "Anybody up there?!"

The scraping stopped.

"Hello?" came a weak noise from above the rubble. "Anyone alive in there?"

"Ha!" cheered Jacob. "Yeah! We're alive down here!"

Some excited murmur from above, "Don't worry. Sit tight we'll get you out in no time!"

"Who are you?" Jacob asked. Shepard walked over to join him by the blocked entrance to get a better listen.

"I'm corporal Mane, Alliance Marine. We've got people in orbit. I've sent someone to radio command and tell them to send down the gear we need."

"Please. . .take your time!" Shepard replied. This was just the news they needed. The alliance were here. Hackett had done the impossible! She felt elated, she looked over at Jacob, who looked the same way. They both laughed.

"Is that Spectre Shepard?" came the voice from above.

"Yes it is, who's asking?"

"Ma'am are you injured?" concern crept into the voice.

"No, not more so than anyone else down here."

A pause from those above. Shepard thought she could hear murmured discussion happening.

The voice returned, "Ma'am, we're setting up a signal booster, orders were to get you in contact with command ASAP."

"Can't that wait until after we're all out of the rubble."

"No ma'am, orders were explicit, sorry."

* * *

><p>Thousands of light years away, aboard Arcturus Station, a low ranking communication officer received a high priority communications message from an alliance taskforce orbiting a planet called Horizon.<p>

Priority one message, it blinked with menace on the screen.

She switched comm channels to one connecting to her superior. She heard the connection confirmation tone sound.

"Admiral Sir, we've got a high priority message from the Horizon response force."

"Put it through." Admiral Hackett replied.

In another part of the station, the admiral was sitting at his desk. He was hoping for this call, he wasn't looking forward to the content.

He depressed the receive call button on the holo display. The low static of any digital transmission greeted him.

"Shepard, are you receiving me?"

"I can hear you, admiral." came the confirmation. Sometimes it still amazed him that they could be on other ends of the galaxy and still talk to each other like they were in the same room.

His voice brash, "Shepard. What's the situation? What I'm getting back from the fleet is that the colony's a goddamn battlefield."

"You got my warning?"

"Yes, Shepard. I called in a hell of a lot of favours to get these ships here. Now the colony's a complete ruin. What the hell happened down there?" eager for an explanation.

"What's the damage to the surface?" came the reply, "We've been stuck underground since the collector ship crashed."

Images from ship mounted cams and survey drones were dotted about the holo desktop in front of him. He'd been following the development closely.

"Nearly all the colony is lying in ruins." he looked at one particular image. A location map of the surrounding physical terrain. Near the centre was the colony, much of it now an ugly, dark smear. Trails of smoke issued NE from the blackened, oblong wreckage lying near the centre of the urban area.

"Orbital images show fires still raging on the engine section. Whatever engines that thing had, blew up on impact." he said.

"We activated the defence towers." Shepard said. "We tried to drive the ship away. It worked, the collector ship was fleeing, but we must have had a lucky hit on a critical system. It weathered everything we were throwing at it until one shot took out the engines."

A pause from the other end of the call, "Then it crashed. . .Survivors. . .sir?"

Hackett scratched his chin, the figures were soul crushing. "Very few. So far, the only ones that survived were those trapped in those strange pod things. What the guys on the ground are telling me, they're made out of some sort of material that's extremely dense, as well as resistant to radiation. We're recovering as many as we can."

"The collectors used those pods to transport the colonists back to their ship." she replied.

"How did you know that this colony was going to be the next one hit? And how the hell were you on Horizon exactly when these things attacked?"

"We got a tip off that Horizon had gone dark. We know the first sign of a collector attack is an entire colony's outbound communication system going offline. We got here as fast as we could, but we weren't here when they attacked. We arrived a couple of hours after they'd already overrun the place. When they were loading up the bodies for transport."

"A tip off? From Cerberus?" Something was off here. The alliance had got a message a week and a half ago claiming that Horizon was going to be next hit. They'd suspected Cerberus, and dispatched Williams to investigate.

He looked back at the image depicting the ruins alien ship. He had his views on Cerberus, nearly all negative, but there was no doubt this was something else entirely.

Shepard responded, "Like it or not, they're the reason we knew about this. They're the reason we're having this conversation."

"I don't like it that you're working with Cerberus, Shepard."

"I'm NOT WITH THEM! Apologies sir. No-one else is giving me resources I need to fight these things! Hell! No-one believed the collectors were real! What was I to do? Pretend they don't exist and they'll go away?. . sir."

She made sense. . . "Duly noted Shepard. What you did today . . . seems you took down an alien capital ship with nothing but rifles and your wits. . . But the cost, Shepard. The entire colony's a wreck, thousands gone."

The gravity of the calamity hung in the space between them.

"With this evidence we can convince the higher ups that these things are a real threat" he continued, ". . . but thousands of people are dead Shepard. . .there's going to be a witch hunt."

"What was I supposed to do? If I weren't here the collectors would have taken everyone and left!"

"Shepard. I understand. I'm only warning you of what's to come."

She sighed, "Me and several of my team captured the fight today through our armour cams. I'd like to upload the telemetry to your system."

"Yes. Anything you can give me will help strengthen humanity's case to the council."

"Them? We're going back to begging the council for help?"

"Shepard. You don't know the strings I pulled, the bridges I burned to get these ships here for you today. I'll be surprised if I still have my job next week! Perhaps the only saving grace that'll keep me from a court martial is that you, a newly reinstated council Spectre, were correct about the collectors being a threat. The longer those alliance ships are hovering over horizon, the bigger magnet they're going to be for every pirate, raider or batarian financed privateer this side of the terminus systems. We need to get you, the survivors and those ships home ASAP."

His comm terminal beeped. High priority message from the admiralty board. He grunted, he had been living on borrowed time with this manoeuvre since the ships broke anchor. It had been miraculous that it had taken them this long to get their act together. The light bleeped, demanding to be heard! He couldn't delay the inevitable any longer. . .

"I'm sorry Shepard, I have to go, Stay on this channel. I'll update in two hours, Hackett out."

* * *

><p>The recovery teams spent the next several hours continuing to dig at the rubble burying the team. Until, at last, over four hours after the recovery team made contact, they broke through to the cheers of those under the rubble.<p>

The elation quickly turned to concern, when it became obvious the recovery teams were equipped with larger, more bulkier radiation suits.

The concern grew further, when the recovery teams began opening heavy, sealed containers which contained around two dozen heavy, shielded plastic body covers.

The team members explained that these were designed to fit around bulky armour or equipment for transport to or from irradiated areas.

"Fallout." they explained from behind the visors of their sealed alliance suits. "The area's completely flooded with irradiated dust from the engine run off. We've got a winch set up through the debris we've cleared. You'll be hauled up one by one. You'll then head straight for one of the evac shuttles we've got stationed next to the entrance. Do not take your covering off. "

The occupants grimly accepted this and donned their flimsy plastic sheets. Soon everyone looked like vacuum packed food.

* * *

><p>She grasped the hand of the marine at the top of the shaft. His silhouette outlined in blinding white from the sun. She was pulled up, her eyes adjusted to the bright light of the surface. As her eyes became used to seeing, the images they showed her were terrible to behold.<p>

The devastation was horrifying. She looked out over the landscape. Grey, brown ash fell from the sky. She stepped forward, the ground beneath her feet crunched. It was burnt and crisp. A thin layer of ash hung over everything.

Her breath misted on the plastic covering a few inches in front of her face. It was desperately hot under it. She brought up a hand to shield her eyes from the harsh glare. A deep shadow lay across the entire colony. The ruin of the collector ship lay on its side. It dwarfed everything. A titanic ruin of burning wreckage. Fires still flared along much of its hull. Pieces of hull the size of office buildings were littered around the colony, each within its own self carved crater of destruction.

The control centre courtyard, once a wide plaza of smooth concrete and parked vehicles, was now an ash covered grey ruin. Blackened detritus littered the area

She continued, as instructed, toward the shuttle ahead of her. She jogged up the ramp and into the compartment. The door closed behind her. Beside her was a window. She looked out through it onto the devastation beyond. Her senses overwhelmed by the scale of the destruction.

A few minutes passed then the door of the shuttle opened again for a brief second. Mordin came rushing through, the door sealing once again after him.

His expression told her his thoughts. She was certain it mirrored her own.

Mordin spoke, his voice quieter and slower than usual. "Much devastation. High damage. Unfortunate. Regrets many."

"Yeah." Shepard replied as she continued to look out over the landscape of ruin.

One by one the team filed out into the shuttles, the transports slowly filling with plastic wrapped crewmembers. Their compartments slowly filling, but remaining silent. Each individual contained with their thoughts.

Finally, once the shuttles were full, they rose and left the colony. The devastation falling away below them. The colony site was visible from orbit, an ugly blackened scar on the pristine, green surface of Horizon.

In her shuttle wee Mordin, Ashley, Jacob and the two Eldar. All still had their plastic cover sheets on. The others were in the other shuttles. Her mind turned to Zaeed and Miranda, how they were getting on. She'd been told by a marine in the recovery party that they'd survived and been picked up by the Normandy, so a silver lining at least.

* * *

><p>The shuttles embarked with the fleet, the occupants were met with a collection of rad proofed attendants as they exited their craft. Their plastic coverings were removed and they were put through the sonic decontamination, to ensure any remaining harmful dust particles were shaken off.<p>

When Geiger counters and fleet attendants was finally satisfied they didn't present a threat anymore they were escorted out of the hangar into a briefing room large enough to accommodate them all. It almost resembled a classroom she remembered from her youth. There they waited there for a few minutes, reflecting on recent experiences when an officer arrived.

"Ma'am. Admiral Hackett would like a word in the communications suite."

"This was expected," she said and followed the officer out. They arrived uneventfully and Shepard stepped onto the holographic emitter. It turned on and the image of the admiral appeared facing her.

"Shepard." he said. "I've been pouring over any of your intelligence I can get my hands on. . .It's gruesome stuff."

"Don't have to tell me Admiral."

"I don't think I realised the full extend of the collector problem until I saw what you brought up from the surface. We need a plan Shepard."

"You're looking at me?"

"Quite frankly in the last few hours you've had more experience with these collectors than anyone else in the galaxy. I'm open to suggestions Shepard."

She shrugged, "I can only tell you what we know. When they're about to attack, they disable all communications with a colony. That should be your first warning. As for the a relief force, I'm not sure it would get there in time to help many of the people on the ground. My only suggestion is get there as fast as you can and try to take out their ships when they appear. "

"Rather grim. I'd hoped you would've had a more in depth answer."

"Like you said Admiral, only a couple hours experience."

The admiral nodded sympathetically, "Noted. I'm taking this to the council as soon as I can. Horizon's sacrifice won't be in vain."

"Will they listen?" Shepard asked before she could stop herself, "Even with this?"

"I'll make them listen!" Emotion flaring at the edges of his words. A rare outburst from the man."This is hard, concrete proof." His holographic avatar rapped the screen of the datapad it was carrying. "Even if they don't, the alliance sure as hell won't stand by and watch hundreds of thousands of innocents die. Terminus systems or not."

"Admiral. Are my crew and I allowed to return to our ship? We may have stopped the collectors here, but I've got it on good authority that they may have many more ships like the one down there. I'd like to get back to the task at hand."

The hologram scratched its chin. "There are people that will want your head, Shepard. Especially since the rumours that you're working for Cerberus appear true."

A grin. "But they aren't in this conversation. Get back to the Normandy. Get a head start on them. Get those bastards that did this to our colony!"

"Thank you admiral." She saluted, the only gesture she could give to signal her greatest thanks at that moment.

"Keep me updated. Oh and Shepard. You may work with Cerberus now, but just know there are those of us in the Alliance that haven't forgotten you either." he nodded to the commander, "Hackett out."


	15. Arrival on Illium

**Chapter Fifteen: Arrival on Illium**

Horizon,

A small, remote colony of humans in the terminus systems. The planet was a veritable garden world, only recently colonized. A minimal economy compared with most planets in council space.

Mere days ago, no one but the most dedicated stellar cartographers would have even known of the existence of the planet.

Now the galaxy knew.

Hackett's quick response gamble had worked. As soon as the alliance relief fleet had entered the system they had been broadcasting everything they had back to Hackett at command.

Within an hour, it had been clear something was up.

Within five, it was clear to command had an emergency on their hands.

When Hackett couldn't hold his contemporaries in the Alliance at bay for any longer he was summoned in front of the admiralty board. He faced charges of misappropriation of Alliance resources and insubordinate behaviour towards his duties as a leader in the Alliance navy.

Then he showed them the data from Horizon.

Any charges against the wayward admiral were temporarily shelved in the face of this new development. An emergency meeting of the Alliance brass was called. Hackett was invited as their specialist on the subject.

Accused insubordinate turned specialist in half an hour.

They held a review into what action should be taken. Denying that the disaster ever took place in the interests of public safety was mentioned, then abandoned swiftly. The tragedy was too large, too recent, for the consequences to be hidden fully. Not to mention a council Spectre by the name of Shepard knew of it, and there was little they could do to prevent her from spreading its news far and wide.

Contrary to public belief the members of the Admiralty board weren't naive brutes. No-one rose that high in any command structure without an extensive grasp of organizational politics. There could be advantages to be had if the Alliance was seen a victim of aggression. .

After going over the data and reviewing the capabilities of the collector ship, it was decided that a quick response taskforce be created and colonies would have to ( temporarily) regularly report in on the buoy network to Arcturus as a rudimentary first warning system.

There were still deniers of the threat in the meeting, or those that downplayed the seriousness, but their voices were heavily outweighed by those demanding action. Horizon, the last in a growing list of human worlds that had gone silent, was the last straw for an increasingly anxious military command.

* * *

><p>Just as the meetings of Arcturus were coming to a conclusion, the rest of the galaxy was just waking up to the news.<p>

Shepard had been explicit. She'd made the mistake before with Saren. Don't use the information to present an argument to the council for help. Instead, release it to the public.

All of it.

Dozens of news outlets, sites, interest groups, commercial companies and citadel lobby groups received, at more or less the same time, a vast amount of information and video regarding a little known alliance colony of Horizon.

It was a frenzy.

Within 12 hours, every news outlet had an 'exclusive' story was covering it.

There was outcry against the Alliance, the Citadel Council, even the Hanar received flak for some obscure reason.

The mob mentality of the media was unleashed. There was call for review, for Council investigation into the source of these new aliens. Why wasn't there action? There were calls for politicians, who had nothing to do with the matter whatsoever, to resign.

Within a day, and with a few instructions given to EDI, Shepard had turned the galaxy's media into a firestorm of controversy.

* * *

><p>The material was surprisingly coarse as she ran her fingers over it. Shepard looked at the pieces of collector carapace littering the lab table. The rest of the equipment had been cleared off the worktop.<p>

"Tell me what you've got doc," she said, looking up to the salarian. Mordin was by the terminal, punching in commands.

"Unknown material. Dense." he only looked up sparingly. "Interlaced with cybernetic modification and enhancement. Materials suggests fibrous growth. Exoskeleton. Exceptionally lightweight. Hypothesis; necessary, for facilitation of flight."

"What'd you use to cut it?" she asked. She brought a piece of carapace up to her eye for close inspection. The material was sliced neatly in two by a clean scorch mark.

"Plasma torch. Material was highly resistant to physical implements."

She nodded. She didn't doubt that, she'd seen its strength first hand.

She rapped on the table. "Do you know if you could make this stuff? If we're going to run into more collectors, it'd be be good to have. We were completely outclassed on Horizon."

Mordin looked up from his work at the terminal and shook his head, "No. Several materials still unidentified. Molecular structure theoretically impossible to duplicate."

Damn, thought Shepard. But another thought surfaced,

"We have a dozen or so bodies in the cargo bay for examination. . . Are they all the same material?" Before leaving Horizon she'd insisted on returning with the kodiak one last time to recover as much technology or collector bodies as they could before the constraints of time and radiation turned them back.

Mordin nodded. "Believe so. Only tested several. But all tests showed uniform material structure." His fingers never left the control console in front of him.

"Could you make armour out of what we have?" she lifted a large piece up. It was surprisingly light. "If nothing more than just welding pieces of this over our existing segments." she was hopeful this could work. If she could get her team the same protection that the collectors had, it would even the playing field significantly.

A thoughtful look then a smile appeared over the salarians face. "Interesting project. Could be done. Would offer much greater protection than current armour. Much more." his face furrowed. "Materials limited. Wouldn't want to waste. Would advise only a couple complete sets for initial testing."

"That should be enough for now." she said, putting the piece back. "Where's Okeer, I'd thought he would be here as well."

"Down in caro hold. Testing salvaged collector weaponry." the salarian must have glanced her alarm. "Don't worry. Setup safe. Checked it myself. No danger of structural damage."

Behind them both, the door to the corridor opened. The krogan himself stepped through.

"Impressive tools they got there." he said to the room at large, throwing the weapon on the table. It clanged as it hit the metal, scattering those pieces already there. The muzzle still glowed from what looked like excessive discharge.

He strode around the table, addressing the two of them. There were still tears and pits in his armour from Horizon. Many of the larger damaged sections had been patched up.

"Principally the same as our weapons, only much much more refined. Will run more tests later. Have to go over the data I got." His heavy footsteps thudded over to a nearby control console and synced his omnitool to it. Data began streaming down the screen.

Shepard looked back to the glowing barrel. "Did you leave any ammunition left?"

The krogan chuckled. A low rumble, "Yeah, Yeah. We got plenty left. Took a few more minutes to scavenge around the Horizon ruins while the rest of you were moping about the ruins and running for the shuttles. There were plenty of these weapons just lying around." He looked at the table, broken, scattered pieces of collector carapace were littered on it "They didn't need them anymore."

"It's strange. . . " he growled to himself, not taking his eyes off the monitor, "the weapons have organic parts as well. No clue what they do or how they work though. Going to have to requisition a few varren. . . no harm in some honest trial and error experimentation."

* * *

><p>There was the sound of conversation and cutlery. A half dozen people occupied the room with her. There never seemed to be a time on this ship when the humans weren't eating something.<p>

Glaedara sat on one of the mess hall chairs. She held a cup of water in front of her. Beside it, one of the humans' dataslates. In outward appearances, she was fully engrossed in reading it. It contained a history of some obscure planet near the periphery of Citadel space.

She wasn't paying any attention to it.

Her eyes were open, but she wasn't looking through them. She was observing the room, aware of everything happening around her.

When she arrived, a few weeks ago, the deafening silence in the warp had been crushing. Without its currents and flows, her powers of guidance and probing the skins of the deep future were nigh useless.

_A tray falling to the floor. A brown haired woman. Anger. Regret._

She breathed out. She was using a lot of effort. She wasn't used to using her lesser abilities. She realised how narrow the path of seer could be, how narrow she'd allowed it to be. How intoxicating it is to see the centuries lie before you, to act as judge over the timeline of the galaxy.

Any analogy that describes the empyrean is woefully incomplete. Like trying to describe the concept of modesty to a blood cell. There were dimensions parallel yet separate. Areas where logic fails and instinct is the guide.

She sipped from her water. She sat off to one side, yet still stood out in the mess hall. Her fine clothes catching attention and glances from the others present. It didn't bother her any more. This vessel, as small as it was, was a self contained unit of people, and she'd observed none of them were willing to follow up their curiosity.

She looked around, with her eyes this time. This was the place in the ship where most of the crew met, the place with the most interaction. The most possibilities.

She looked round, taking in everything she could.

The warp was silent. No currents, no multi-branching paths of fate allowing her to guide herself to the desired far flung future.

She was at sea, and there were no dark, grey stormclouds or friendly, white wisps of vapour to tell her what was far off.

No sharks swam in the waters

The sea was perfectly calm, mirror-like.

There was a crash off to her left. At the mess counter, a tray had been knocked off. Glaedara could see a brown haired woman apologizing to the man behind behind the counter, who was giving her a reprimanding glare.

She smiled. A human would have missed the expression, as nuanced as it was.

The sea was calm. There were no bright stars in the sky to guide her. No wind or cloud to tell her of oncoming weather over the horizon.

And she lay there, unable to see. But not, as she now discovered, unknowing. As she fell onwards on the unidirectional path of time, she had her hand outstretched in the empyrean before her, not seeing, but feeling. Feeling its temperature and its texture, just moments before it hit her.

She was adrift. Her destination unknown. Her position unknown. Only her, in an endless sea.

* * *

><p>The Normandy blasted through space towards the planet Illium. It was still a few hours away from arriving and the crew had time to relax.<p>

In their crew quarters, away from the more populated areas of the Normandy, Eisenmus and Hayt knelt towards a small shrine to the Emperor. They couldn't find any candles on the ship so they used low level luminaires.

It wasn't the same.

Hakkon had provided some small amount of incense from his tech rituals, so thank the Emperor for small mercies.

The shrine was a feeble thing. A few lights arranged around a small statuette of the Emperor, hastily forged from some metal alloy by Hakkon. The figure was rough hewn and angular. The objects were draped over a linen bedsheet they had borrowed from the laundrette.

Behind the statuette lay the sigil of the Pastorii, the only fragment of home they had in this place.

The shrine was a feeble thing yes, but it was raised in glory to the Emperor. Currently the only thing in this universe raised in his divine name.

Eisenmus led the pair in prayer to Him. A simple series of prose verse common throughout the million worlds of the Imperium.

He finished, they both made the sign of the aquila. Hayt, with care, turned off the luminaries one by one and bowed a final time to the statuette. The inquisitor did the same and they departed the chamber.

The chamber stood still for a moment.

"Beautiful in its own way, don't you think?" a female voice said to the empty room.

A long pause.

"You know I'm here?" replied another voice, also female.

"Please. . . I saw you the minute I walked in. I'm a very good thief you know."

"I respect your skills, little one. Not many could have done that."

"I am not many. Now tell me, I have my own curiosity about these two. What's your interest in them?"

"Until not long ago they were my enemy. Now, I watch them now in case they still are."

"Its amazing the love they have for their emperor. I wouldn't have believed it from the way they act. But they're really both just little children at heart."

"In more ways than one, little one."

"I've seen you slip about the ship here and there. You carry your weight very lightly, but every so often you move an inch or two more than you should. It's the brushed metal floors, you need to put more pressure on it if you want to prevent that."

"I have more experience than ten of your lifetimes."

"Fair enough, I was only passing a comment. What about me though? I'm sure you've seen me around here and there, what would you say about me?"

Another pause.

"You are too short for the speed at which you go. This causes air movement that could be avoided. Also, avoid travelling in front of excessively shiny or transparent surfaces. Your cloak is not perfect. At the right angle, it gives off more reflected radiation than it should."

"Wow, thanks. I've never had feedback before, no-one was good enough to give it to me."

Invisible to the room, Eleiyra smiled. "You are welcome, little one." she said just before the quarters door seemed to open on its own and close again shortly after.

* * *

><p>Glaedara stood patiently in the elevator as it descended to a lower level.<p>

She willed that she would go left. . .

_The big krogan, the young one. He was ruminating over his weapon. He looked up as she passed._

She willed that she would go right. . .

_She saw a duo of human crew. They were chatting. One was holding an orange data-slate. They stopped talking as she walked past._

The elevator arrived and she went right.

She came across the two crew members. They were talking. As she approached, their conversation hushed. She walked past them, saying nothing.

She inwardly nodded, satisfied. Beads of sweat had begun to form on her brow.

* * *

><p>With a hiss the door to the ship's medbay opened; the commander entered. Chakwas was absent, but Miranda was awake on the bed. She saw the commander enter.<p>

Good, Shepard thought, she's woken up.

"How's my XO feeling?" she said with a smile. She stopped by the bedside. She glanced further down the room. The unmoving form of Garrus was on one of the other beds. He still looked unconscious. Horizon had hit him hardest of all.

"Been . .agh. . .been better Shepard." Miranda winced. Shepard's mind snapped back to her XO. It was clear she was still far from active duty. But she was conscious and speaking, which was a good sign.

She leant on the end of the bed. "Zaeed's been filling me in on the details. Sounds like you were pretty lucky."

"It was Zaeed's plan." Miranda tried to readjust herself to get a more comfortable position. "Just after you left he got the rest of them to kit out some vehicles in case we needed a quick getaway." she winced. "He wasn't wrong."

"Wouldn't have taken Zaeed for the careful, planning sort." Shepard smiled, "Chakwas says you're on the mend."

"Yeah. She stitched my leg back together pretty well." she looked down at it. It was still a blood stained mess of casts and omnigel.

She continued to stare at it, "Nearly all the nerves were fried, torn to shreds by the beam. She stitched back those she could but. . ." a nervous pause. "Well, we'll only wait and see if I can put any weight on it again."

"You'll be back on your feet in no time. Besides, I can't have you lazing in bed for the whole mission. We all wish you the best, even Joker, though he made me swear not to tell you."

That brought a smile to her face. "Hah, that weasel? That made my day. Thanks Shepard." A smile crept its way back onto her face.

"Anytime Miranda."

Behind her, Chakwas returned.

"Ah Shepard. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Just visiting the patients." her mind turned to Garrus, her face falling. "How's Garrus doing, Doc?"

Chakwas straightened up. She cleared her throat, "No update from this morning. He's stable but still sleeping. Don't worry. The second he wakes up I'll let you know."

"Thanks Doc, truly." Shepard said and made to leave. She gave one last look back to the turian, lying on his bed. Medical apparatus attached to his wrist, feeding fluids into his system.

She was still looking as the two sides of the med bay door closed behind her.

* * *

><p>Far away from the Normandy, the Tragedy of Horizon, as it was becoming known, was reaching critical levels of unrest. The collective will of the mob was pointing the blame at those in charge, those in the upper levels of power.<p>

Which was making those in power nervous.

"This latest outburst from her is unwelcome, Udina. We made her a Spectre despite her newfound ties to a known terrorist organization. She's practically incited panic across citadel space." Tevos sat opposite, her disapproving glare glowering at him over the table.

The councillors were pissed at him. He was pissed at Shepard. The public were pissed at the council! It was a mess.

"With respect councillor, that may be what's needed. The System's Alliance has been warning this council for months about colonies just going missing. This council has always maintained that that was merely the price for trying to settle colonies in the terminus systems."

He brought up the recent data showing the collector threat. He remembered showing it to Anderson an hour ago. The man had thrown a fit.

"But now there's proof." he pointed. "Proof that we aren't alone, proof that there is something else out there in the Terminus systems besides pirates and slavers, and maybe we should do something about it."

Udina observed them, their passive faces a product of years of political conditioning.

Tevos was against any kind of action in response to the disaster, that much was obvious from her questioning up to now.

Sparatus, unusually, was in favour of action. Before it had been rumours, but here was threat to citadel security and as much as he doesn't like to be proven wrong, he doesn't like to be called incompetent and idle by his contemporaries back in the Hierarchy.

Valern. . . If he was honest to himself, Udina had taken to flipping a coin whether Valern would be for or against action in issues like this.

Sparatus voiced his view, "I agree, this is a call for increased security around citadel systems. We need to monitor the situation. But so far, these new entities have shown no intention of straying outside of the Terminus boundaries. It could be that they're retaliating on what they see as territorial infringement."

Scapegoating. Delegation of blame.

"A possibility." Tevos considered. "Has there even been any attempt to contact them? From what I hear Shepard's team went in guns blazing."

Criticism. Stalling.

To his right Valern sat silent, observing the exchange.

"You want to negotiate with the monsters that have taken tens of thousands of defenceless human colonists?!" Udina exclaimed.

"What other choice is there?" Tevos replied. "Military excursions into the terminus systems will only antagonize the natives out there. We hope you can recommend this course of action to the alliance."

"Are you kidding? You think there's panic in your territory? Earth is in uproar! Parliament have their hands tied, the people want blood. The members will vote in military interventions, they have to if they want to keep their jobs. What you're suggesting.. . it'll be seen as tantamount to treason."

"Udina." she stared into him. The look of open and honest understanding. He'd have believed it, if he hadn't seen the same look used on countless petitioners to the council chamber over the past few years.

"We understand. We do. If it happened to anyone of us, we'd feel the same. But the stability of council space must come before the revenge desires of one single race. Any action taken into the terminus systems by the alliance will severely weaken the alliance's position on the galactic stage."

Udina shook his head, "You don't understand. This is real, recent and raw." he looked to the rest of the council. "This has happened before, as you all know." his stare found the Sparatus, "The first contact war." He saw the turian bristle visibly at the human name for the incident.

"That was one colony," he continued. "And the turians were relatively light occupiers. They didn't exterminate everyone they saw. These collectors. . . every colony that's went missing in the last few months is because of them. No wanted to talk about it. It was away. Far off. Didn't affect us."

He tapped his omintool. "That was before this info. This is real. This has been riling the collective tempers of the humanity. My advisors tell me that parliament will enact military action, probably regardless of what I might advise them."

"This is unfortunate Udina, we'd hoped the alliance would be more cooperative." her sympathetic face displayed all the emotion and understanding that she claimed to share with him.

Underneath though,

Uncaring. Indifferent. Inconvenient.

He turned to Sparatus, surprisingly his most likely ally in this mess. "Tell me, How cooperative would the Hierarchy be if a dozen of their colonies disappeared and only to be told by the council they're not allowed to do anything to protect them?"

The turian stared Udina down. The mandibles on either side of his face rising and falling as he breathed. Behind his eyes, Udina saw the angered admirals, the generals, the politicians of the hierarchy who are waking up to the unwelcome fact that they may not be the dominant military force in the galaxy. That there might be something else out there, whether it be geth remnants from the battle of the citadel or something new.

"I agree with him."

"What?" Tevos' head whipped round to one side.

"This data shows that there is at least one vessel in existence, capable of entering our space, that far exceeds in technology anything we have deployed today. At the very least, I would know the extent of this threat."

He turned back to Udina, "It may be possible to reach an understanding." he said, as if the words themselves were dangerously tipped with poison. "The turian fleet is in charge of council security. We will not be chasing this new threat to the ends of the galaxy. Our place is defending citadel space from pirates and lawless marauders."

"This will be on the human Alliance." he said. "Any ships involved will be human ships. The Alliance will not annex any new territory in the Terminus systems, nor will it use its navy to enact gunboat diplomacy on the systems already established. The objective is to eliminate this new so-called collector threat. Once that objective is accomplished, the alliance will withdraw."

Calculation. Opportunity. Udina saw it in the turian even as he spoke the words. The turians behind him demand action! But to deploy the fleet to the Terminus systems may provoke those already out there.

Let the alliance be the ones to make the kill. It was their colonies, their responsibility. In recent years the alliance had been rustling feathers in the Hierarchy, building up their naval resources while finding innovative and law-bending ways around the Treaty of Farixen.

Let them drain their resources in the Terminus systems. Let the attrition of the natives and logistics bleed the alliance. They won't gain more resources through the endeavour, and if they manage the impossible then the turians can stand side by side with them on the victory parade. Having nobly and honourably guarded the home front of alliance space while the alliance was out in the mud.

"That is acceptable. The Alliance agrees."

* * *

><p>It was nearing the evening stage of the Normandy's daily cycle. The door to her quarters opened as she approached. Glaedara grasped the doorframe for support and entered.<p>

She stumbled in, the door shut behind her. The sounds of the corridor beyond disappeared as the metal slammed shut.

She collapsed onto her bed. Exhausted and breathing heavily.

Rest. She needed rest.

At the same time she reprimanded herself for being so careless with her sight in the past. She'd become reliant on it.

She lay still and went through the exercises of breathing. Controlled motions, ones that gave her control over her mentally stretched body.

A farseer's sight is more nuanced than it may appear. Sight may include awareness around the farseer. A glimpse into the far and distant past. Endless future possibilities opening up ahead of them.

To the ignorant or naive, it may be logical that peering into the distant future requires more effort than peering a few minutes.

When one is running, how much effort does it take to stop whenever one see an obstacle a mile away, versus a metre away?

Her mind had spent the whole day mentally stopping from events a metre away. And it ached.

This would need months of getting used to. . .

* * *

><p>Eleiyra paced the ship.<p>

It was maddening how small it was.

The crew were getting boring. She'd taken to eavesdropping on the others to stem the monotony.

The farseer may be suited to a life of meditation and contemplation, but not her.

Her thoughts had been stirring for a while now. The farseer had said their place was with the Shepard woman. So was there much harm in helping her?

She thought back to the human planet horizon. Much destruction had taken place there. They'd left behind a ruin.

But she had loved it.

Being cooped up for weeks. With no stimuli, no excitement.

Then Horizon, where she was in the flow of combat and adventure once again. And it wasn't some grotesque, polluted, monkeigh metropolis whose garish architecture she'd seen a hundred times before. This was new! An entire galaxy's worth of new things to learn.

The call of the new was too much. She knew they were heading for a planet called Illium. She gathered that much from the people she'd observed. She knew it was a populated world. A world under the control of the blue skinned aliens, a so-called 'civilized' world.

It was too tempting to give up. She got up and set out to find Shepard. She decided it was time she gave a more direct helping hand to the fate the farseer had seen.

* * *

><p>The Normandy streamed down from orbit towards Illium. The planet shone a deep blue in the darkness of space, millions of little pinpricks of light glowing into space showing the intricate layout of cities and highways criss-crossing the planet's surface.<p>

The craft descended through the atmosphere cutting through the cloud layer like a knife. As it descended under the clouds the light towers and spires of asari architecture swam into view. Over a sea of deep blue the Normandy flew towards a city. The city of Nos Astra, the prominent trade capital of the planet.

It slowed as it entered the docking bay. Electromagnetic clamps emerged from either side and clanged onto the hull of the Normandy securing it in position. All around the ship the business of commerce was taking place.

"You ready?" Shepard asked her new companion. She gave her weapon one last check before it went in its holster. She'd knew Illium would be a more or less civilized world, but it didn't hurt have a weapon on her.

Well. . .it never hurt _her_ at any rate.

Eleiyra nodded. Her raven black hair and piercing brown eyes stared back at her.

"We all set, ready to go?" asked an impatient voice beside her, accompanied with heavy boot treads on the metal floor.

"Just waiting on the doc, Jack."

The biotic's face scrunched. "What's taking him so long?" she started pacing. "You better let me out of this tin can soon Shepard."

Both Jack and Eleiyra had been itching to get off the ship. Shepard was happy to take them, this wasn't a critical mission, just attempting to find info on their next potential recruits.

If she needed more back up however, she might be in trouble. Horizon had hit them harder than she could have thought.

Miranda was still bedridden, conscious but unable to walk. Garrus was still out cold, stable but not in a position to do anything. Chakwas said his wound was healing, so she took comfort in that.

Jacob couldn't hold a weapon, his arm was still healing. Besides, he was kept busy by the volume of repair work he'd had on his plate since Horizon. Grunt and Okeer. . .

If she needed some doors kicked down, she was covered. But she didn't think they were suitable for anything that required a bit more subtlety or tact. . .

The imperials. . .

Shepard wasn't sure about them. She both needed and distrusted them

There was something about them. Like looking into a mirror and seeing a darker reflection of yourself staring back. There were parts of them that could be respected, their proficiency in war for instance.

But that was also a worry. What path did they take themselves down to be that brutal in combat? Their views on non-humans left Cerberus looking like an alien advocacy group by comparison.

What weren't they telling her? Almost forty thousand years of human development, and they barely talked about their time unless prompted to.

Her mind arrived back at the present. It was inevitable really, when you coop up a party of people in a confined space for too long they start craving anything that lets them get outside. Regardless of where outside might be. . .

"Jack, trust me, we'll be good to go in. . .ah, see? Here he is."

"The salarian joined the party at the airlock, too distracted by his omnitool to notice Jack's discomfort."

"You enjoy keeping the rest of the group waiting ?" the ex convict stared at the salarian.

"Hmm? Apologies. Was cataloguing sponge samples. Didn't realise you were waiting. All good now." he smiled, innocent of all accusations.

Shepard nodded. "Good. Joker! Open the hatch."

"Hatch opened, commander." the pilot replied.

The Normandy airlock opened in front of them. There was the hiss of pressurized air, trapped for days, escaping.

As the doors retracted the team made their way down the ramp to the terminal building. Exiting the tunnel, they were in their ship's departure lounge. Standing just in front of the front of the lounge's exit, they saw two LOKI security mechs flanking an asari attendant. The asari saw them, and promptly headed over to them.

"Hmm. Company. Unexpected. Mechs, combat. Also unexpected." the salarian muttered off absent mindedly.

"They don't look like they're here for a fight," the commander replied, "If they were, I doubt they'd be this few, or as polite to talk to us before they shot us."

"Makes sense. If not, they'll fucking regret it." Jack said, just before the attendant reached them. Her fists faintly glowing blue with biotic charge.

If the asari was put back by Jack's display of aggression, she gave no sign. She outstretched her arms, welcoming the party.

"Welcome to Nos Astra Spectre Shepard. We've been instructed to waive all docking and administration fees for your visit." The Asari gestured to herself "My name is Carena, if you need information about the area, it would be my pleasure to assist you."

Shepard knew she was a Spectre again, but that didn't qualify her for special exceptions like this. Something was up, "Who instructed you to waive the fees?" she asked.

"The order came from Liara T'Soni, who paid all fees on your behalf," the asari activated her omnitool and instructed the mechs to leave. As one, the turned and walked away from the group. "She also asked me to direct you to speak with her at your earliest convenience. You'll find her near the trading floor. I'll mark it on your local map."

Shepard retrieved the map data from the woman, who mentioned her gratitude.

"Walk with me," Shepard told the Asari. "What can you tell me about Nos Astra?" The rest of the group fell in behind them.

"It's an exciting city." the asari started, " we see a lot of new cultures and . . ."

As the two of them fell into discussion, they passed through Nos Astra's main transport hub. Around them was the bustle of thousands of people trying to get where they were going in the quickest time possible. The party got the odd passing look as they navigated the mass of commuters. Though most were either too self involved or distracted by talking to their omnitools to notice any difference.

Eleiyra remained near the back of the group, not listening.

She was observing.

This place, it reminded her of their great space station, the citadel. Even on the interior, it was clear that more work and thought had gone into the aesthetics of this city. Here and there she caught a glimpse of the outside through wide windows as they passed.

Curved spires of silver and glass, glistening in the orange sun.

It was the closest Eleiyra had felt to the craftworld since she'd arrived.

The terminal exit was nearing and the two leaders were finishing their conversation,

". . .at the same time, this is still an asari world. You should feel as safe here as you would on the citadel." the attendant smiled.

Shepard nodded in understanding. That's good, she thought, maybe now I might get through the foreseeable future without getting shot at. "I'm on a mission," she said, changing the subject. "Would you be able to help me find someone?" she shrugged, "You found me quickly enough."

The attendant shook her head. "I can help you find major entertainment centres or stores, but I'm afraid I can't point you to individual people. Liara is excellent at that kind of work. I'm sure she could help you." her courteous smile pinned forever to her face.

The group reached the exit of the transport hub.

"Thank you" Shepard said to the asari.

The asari bowed, "Again, welcome to our city commander, please enjoy your stay." She left the group.

A voice suddenly appeared in their ears, it was EDI. "Commander, customs records indicate that an asari Justicar Named Samara is visiting this port, Shepard. Your former teammate, Liara T'soni, may have more information. Her office overlooks the trading floor." Shepard looked down at the new marker on her HUD.

EDI continued, "You may wish to speak with her about the whereabouts of the assassin Thane Krios, as well."

She thanked the AI as she led the party out onto one of the many wide, flat balconies in front of the transport hub. Here, high above ground level, the city of Nos Astra extended out in front of them towards the horizon. Gleaming steel spires reached into the sky while hover vehicles criss-crossed the metropolis in perfect pre-defined lanes. Shepard called a car to take them to the trading floor from one of the travel kiosks spread around the perimeter of the space. Moments later a car peeled off from one of the lanes and zoomed down to the balcony into a marked out space on the ground. The group embarked and the car zoomed away from the spaceport.

* * *

><p>Miranda was lying in the medical bay. She was busy as work on the crew reports when the med bay door opened.<p>

It was Eisenmus. She looked up from her reports and watched him. His gaunt face searched the room. His eyes found her and he made his way over.

"Ms Lawson" he nodded in greeting, "I understand you're the liaison of this ship's sponsor, the Illusive Man?"

Miranda set down her datapad on her lap. "Yes, that's correct."

He paused before he next spoke. Miranda was good at reading people, she noticed his eyes dart to one side, as if he was checking behind him. "I would like to speak with him if at all possible. Soon. I want you to tell him that I've reached a decision."

"Alright," Miranda said, not understanding. "What decision is that?"

"He will understand." the man replied with finality. "Thank you Ms Lawson." he bowed his head slightly before exiting the room.

* * *

><p>Jack was first up the stairs to the building. Her black jacket flapped in the high altitude breeze. Shepard had convinced her (with considerable effort) that bare straps was not the best chest wear for a highly populated world, especially for someone that doesn't want to stand out.<p>

The only jackets she could find had been Cerberus ones, with Cerberus insignia. With Jack heading up the stairs, Shepard could still see the large black scorch marks on either shoulder where fearsomely powerful biotics had been applied liberally and enthusiastically.

The group reached the top of the stairs and entered the building. They entered a reception office, clean and sparse, with a lone asari receptionist. The asari sitting at her desk looked up at them at they approached.

"Hello Commander Shepard," she stood up and greeted the group, every movement a practiced dance of courtesy, "Liara will be pleased to see you."

Shepard studied the asari, "You work with her?"

"Yes, I'm her assistant. Liara relies upon me to provide useful intelligence. I don't have her network of contacts, but I supply useful data, it's really an honour to work with her."

The last sentence piqued Shepard's interest, "An honour? What's Liara's reputation here on Illium then?"

A smile appeared over the assistant's face, "She's greatly respected. In a few short years, she's amassed a sizeable network of connections. She could have more political power than she already wields if she wasn't so focussed on her personal goals. .." the asari stopped, mentally checking herself, "but I believe she should tell you about that, not me." She gestured to the door leading further into the building. "The door's open, she's expecting you."

Shepard thanked the assistant and entered Liara's office. She smiled as she saw, at the far end of the office, Liara talking with the holo-image of a middle aged human. She sounded frustrated.

"Have you faced an asari commando unit before?" she asked the hologram, "few humans have. . I'll make it simple, either you pay or I'll flay you alive. With my mind." With that she abruptly cut the holo-feed. She noticed the visitors in her office. "Shepard!" she cried and turned to her assistant, "Nyxeris, hold my calls!"

She approached Shepard, the pair embraced.

"My sources said that you were alive, but I never believed. . .it is very good to see you." They broke apart. Liara sat back down in her chair and Shepard did likewise.

"Good to see you too Liara." she replied, "so. .you have sources now?"

She smiled, "a few. Sources, contacts, even a little hired muscle. I've been working as an information broker. It's paid the bills since. . .you know the past two years. And now you're back, gunning for the collectors with Cerberus."

Shepard looked surprised, "You're more up to speed than I thought you'd be."

A grin appeared at the corner of Liara's mouth, "As I said, information is my business now. If you need any information on finding people, I'm happy to help."

"As it turns out we are looking for someone. His name is Thane Krios, he's supposed to be here on Illium."

"The assassin? yes. He arrived here a few days ago. My sources tell me he may be targeting a corporate executive, Nasana Dantius. He contacted a woman named.. . " she brought her tablet up to view it, ". . .Seryena, yes. Seryena has an office in the cargo transport levels. Perhaps she can tell you where Krios is."

Shepard was taken aback. Gone was the shy archaeologist she once knew, here was a powerful asari rattling off the names of secret assassins as if they were yesterday's shopping.

She recovered, "Thanks for the help, that's all I needed to know."

"Of course." she looked up at Shepard, as if unwilling to continue, "I should warn you that after your recent trip to Horizon, you've attracted a great deal of attention."

"That was the idea," she explained, "Let as much of the galaxy know what was going on." she remembered liara's new position, "You're an information broker, how much of an impact did it make?"

"Widespread concern." Liara replied. "There's theories around that it's the geth coming back for revenge, some believe you that it's the collectors, others. . others believe far more colourful things."

Shepard smiled at the news. "This is good Liara, we're finally getting the message out that's something's out there."

"I have sources, unconfirmed at the moment, that the council are going to debate this footage. It isn't a scheduled debate, they're wary of confirming or denying the video at the moment."

Shepard was wary of this. They'd swept her warnings under the rug once before, and nothing had happened in two years.

"There's something else," Liara continued, "I've had information requests from every single weapons manufacturer I know. As well as numerous mercenary groups and political figures. Illium and the wider galaxy has shown a great interest in your new company."

"Anything serious?" she asked, the last thing they need is someone trying to take out or capture members of her own team.

"Not yet." she replied, filling Shepard with relief, "at the moment it's just requests for information. Possible matches with experimental weapon corporations. . . " she held up her hand. "Don't worry, if i see anything that could be a danger to your people, You're the first person I'll contact."

Shepard couldn't help but smile. Two years and a resurrection later and Liara was still looking out for her.

"Thanks Liara," she said, "But I think we better be going. We've got an assassin to catch. I'll be back later, we have a lot to catch up on."

"I truly look forward to it," Liara replied with all the warmth she could muster as Shepard left her office. The door shut as the commander left, leaving Liara in her office. She stood there, alone, behind her large desk as the muffled sound of zooming traffic filtered through the thick glass. She let the smile on her face finally drop under the weight of her guilt. . .

* * *

><p>On the plaza outside, Shepard raised her hand to her ear, "EDI what's the quickest way to the cargo transport levels?"<p>

"I have already uploaded the location on your HUD commander. I recommend catching one of the cars to its location." the AI's robotic voice chimed in over the comm.

"Thanks EDI." Shepard said. She turned to the assembled party. "Right, first port of call is this detective Seyrena. Any questions?"

"Yeah!" Jack called out to Shepard's left. She stood there, hands on hips, jacket blowing in the breeze. "Can we get something to eat?"

* * *

><p>The hologram swirled into existence around him, giving him a view of the wide room with the raging star in the background. He looked out over the flat, polished floor.<p>

The Illusive man sat surrounded by his monitors in the dark room. Wisps of smoke trailed into the air as he breathed on his cigarette.

Eisenmus looked at him. He could just barely see the man's eyes. Tiny mechanical rings of blue in the dark.

"We've decided. We will work with you."

Smoke drifted into the air, "That's good to hear" said the Illusive man as he extinguished his cigarette on the polished metal arm rest of this chair.

* * *

><p>"You Seyrena?" Shepard stood at the desk of an asari clerk in the lower transport levels. It had taken a few hours between navigating past lobby security and stopping to sate Jack's voracious appetite.<p>

"Who wants to know?" the asari replied. She looked up from her work. To her credit, she seemed completely nonplussed about four heavily armed and armoured strangers standing over her desk.

"Someone who could make your life a living hell." said Shepard, arms crossed.

To her surprise, the asari snorted, "huh, too late."

"Liara T'soni said you may have information on Thane Krios, am I wasting my time?"

The asari folded her arms in response, "Yeah I know who thane Krios is, I might have passed him some information but I didn't hire him. What do you want to know?"

"Maybe you can help me find him?"

"Huh, I can tell you but you won't stop him. When he contacted me I looked up on him. The man never gives up on a job."

"We're not looking to stop him, only find him."

The asari paused. Her eyes narrowed as she looked over the four of them again. "You're not working for Nasanna?"

Shepard shook her head, "No idea who that is."

The asari grunted. "Thane's target and my bitch of an ex boss. She fired me recently you know. . " she chuckled, "her loss, I may have been good enough to stop him."

"Who is she, Thane's target?" asked Shepard.

"A wealthy speculator with a nasty disposition. She's killed her business rivals, government officials . . I even hear she took out her own sister, if anyone deserves killing she does."

"If you worked there you must have an idea of what Thane's opposition will be."

The desk asari nodded, "Eclipse mercs. High tech killers. Undisciplined but very well equipped. They don't care too much who they kill as long as they get paid for it. Thane has quite a reception waiting for him. I told him as much but he didn't seem worried."

"So where do I find Thane?" Shepard pressed.

"The dantius towers, penthouse level of tower one." To the asari's right was access to a hovercar platform. The wide corridor to the car platform looked out onto Nos Astra. Seyrena pointed to two large towers in the distance. Both under construction.

"The first tower's almost done. But the second tower's still under construction , if Thane is smart he'll go in there."

"From what you said about Nasanna it doesn't sound like she'll just let me in." Shepard looked at the towers in the distance. They were vast. Even from here, she guessed they must be over 2 miles high. .

"She's as smart as she is paranoid." the asari continued. She tapped a few keys on her omnitool, "No-one's getting in or out without a fight. I can get you in but you'll only get one shot. You'd better be ready"

"Let's go then"

The asari looked at the group with an expression of surprise and confusion, "You're serious aren't you?" Shepard was about to reply when she flew up her hands, "You know what? Forget I asked, she had it coming anyway. We'll go tonight as soon as the shift workers clear out of tower two. That's not for another 7 hours, so you might want to find something to do till then."

Shepard nodded. "We'll meet you here tonight. Don't think about not showing."

"Please, I won't shed any tears when Nasanna's gone. Hell if I can get you in, you may distract the guards enough to give Thane a better shot at Nasanna. That, I can live with."

"We'll be back tonight then."

"See you then." the asari returned to her desk.

Shepard turned back to her team. "Looks like we've got a few hours to spare. I'd normally say that we should investigate something else but I don't want to jeopardize meeting with the detective tonight. Its too good of a timing, just as Thane's about to go in. If we miss this window, he may disappear off our radar for good."

"What's your instruction?" Eleiyra asked.

"We're heading back to the transport hub," she saw the looks of disapproval starting to creep across the faces of Jack and Eleiyra.

"Hold on and let me finish. We're only heading back to the transport hub. I'm not forcing you to stay on the Normandy, but I want to see you on the ship in five hours. Until then, you're on your own, but I want you all back at the Normandy in five hours, combat ready. Understand?"

Jack's head bobbed slowly along with the commander's words, "Yeah. Ok. Five hours. Gotcha' Shepard."

Eleiyra nodded in response. Shepard seemed satisfied by that.

"Good. Now let's go."

* * *

><p>Glaedara sat crosslegged in her quarters. A small bowl filled with water sat in front of her. She tried to bring her mind to calm, but it was difficult without the psychic resonance of wraithbone she was used to. She tried anyway, slipping deeper and deeper into meditation. Thoughts and feelings whirled in front of her. She could reach out and touch the subconscious concepts of her mind. They drifted to and fro. Bringing abstract ideas to the fore of her mind. Many she rejected, unsuitable in the circumstances, but some offered glimmers of wisdom. Past events and experiences like her current one, probable motivations and goals of both the humans of this time and the imperials.<p>

She sensed a familiar presence approach in the physical world. She slowly withdrew from meditation. Coming out too fast could be harmful.

Her physical surroundings swam into focus once again. The cold steel of her quarters, the low humm of the machinery below and the muffled footsteps of those walking up and down the corridor outside.

The door buzzer sounded. Glaedara bade the visitor to enter, it was Shepard. She was still in her armour. She must have just returned from her excursion. "EDI said your vitals have been all over the place? Are you OK?"

Glaedara waved a hand in dismissal, "I'm fine. Just resting. My abilities take a stress on my physiology."

Shepard looked at her, cocked her head sideways,

"_What sort of abilities_?" said Glaedara

"What sort of abilities?" said Shepard

Glaedara had uttered the words a fraction of a second before she did. The woman seemed taken aback.

"How?" she began, but Glaedara held up a hand again.

"I think this is one way I could be of use to you." Glaedara said, and invited the commander in.

Shepard accepted and followed the eldar in. The eldar sat on her bed. She offered shepard the seat at the desk. She sat.

"How did you do that?" Glaedara said just as Shepard opened her mouth.

Shepard closed her mouth again and was silent for a moment. Her face scrutinized the farseer sitting across from her, before leaning in, "You can read minds or something?"

She shook her head, "Not exactly." While it was true that she could read minds in certain situations she wasn't about to admit that to this woman. From what she understood, it would be taken very poorly by the residents of this place.

She sat up straighter as she began, "My title is farseer, Shepard. It is. . .was, remarkably accurate for my role until recently."

The commander sat in attentive silence, listening.

"My role where I came from was to peer into the future and guide my people onto a desirable path. If there was a disaster or obstacle, it would be possible to steer events around it."

"you can see the future?. . . " the commander began but Glaedara shook her head.

"Not here." she said. "Something about this place.. . .this time. . . I can no longer see. I can only, with great effort, pick pieces out of the immediate future."

"Like my voice."

Glaedara extended her hand, "Like your voice."

Shepard processed this. Seeing the future? Come on, it sounded ridiculous!

"How far can you see?" she asked. Curiosity and disbelief forming unlikely partners in her mind.

"Not far. A minute or two at most."

Glaedara continued. The bemused look of disbelief remained on the commander's face, "In combat, a minute is a long time. Time enough to save someone who might be caught unaware."

"I'm sorry I'm having trouble wrapping my head around this. You're telling me you can see the future?"

"Your friend has woken up." Glaedara stated.

"What?"

"Your friend, the turian, he's woken up. You should go and see him. We can talk again shortly."

"No, he's still in . . . " Her omnitool beeped at her wrist.

She threw a suspicious stare at Glaedara before answering. "This is Shepard. Go ahead."

"Commander, its doctor Chakwas. Garrus has woken up, he looks in good shape, if you'd like to talk to him."

Shepard's eyes never left Glaedara. "Tell him, I'm on my way."

"We will talk again about this." she said, voicing each word deliberately and carefully. The farseer could see the mental processing going on, "VERY shortly." she concluded as she rose.

The farseer rose in response and nodded her goodbye. The commander left, the door shutting behind her. The holographic lock re-appearing in the centre of the entrance.

Glaedara exhaled heavily and fell back down on the bed. She let her psychic barriers fall. A thin drop of blood fall down from her nose. She wiped it away.

She shouldn't have over exerted in her new abilities so much, but she needed to prove to the commander she was useful.

The bed in the room called to her. She lay down on the sheet and drifted into the bliss of unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>Eleiyra was finally free from that metal box of a ship. She'd was standing on a balcony looking over a wide atrium in the spaceport. She'd left the others when they'd arrived back at the Normandy. She needed to explore. To experience. To see.<p>

She was surprised at what she saw.

Many different alien races were present, each engaged in acts of commerce or recreation. There was no conflict ( or outwardly blatant conflict ) that she could see. It was unlike any world she had been to in her travels back in her time. The elegant forms of the buildings that rose in the distance, reflecting the reddish sun were far more beautiful than any she had seen on any imperial world. She was reminded of the memstones depicting ancient eldar cities before the fall. This city didn't match the splendour of those ancient metropolises, but it was a good second place.

She kept moving and saw all the activities of city life. Shops, markets, stalls, traffic zoomed overhead in orderly criss crossing skylanes. Despite herself, she found herself admiring it. The achievements of a young, energetic society filled with hope and promise.

Every so often a couple of the blue skinned aliens would stare at her as she passed. She'd gone without her helmet, this was one of the few times she could breathe air not endlessly recycled by crude, oily machinery.

This is a world without she who thirst, she realised. Her mind remembering the words of her farseer. This was the universe without the great enemy. Full of hope and bright lights. She felt tears make their way down her cheeks.

This was a life that we could have had. If we didn't fuck it up. She thought with inward rage. She tried to suppress this recent outburst of emotion before it overwhelmed her. It had been so long since something had moved her in such a way.

She quickly wiped the tears away and reached a decorative overhang, looking over the market square. Her raven hair flowed behind her in the slight breeze.

Excitement. Opportunity.

Eleiyra breathed in deep. This far above the ground, the air was good. Her arms rested on the handrail. The tears had returned, several wet drops splashing on the handrail.

But she was smiling.

* * *

><p>Shortly after the Normandy had entered its dock in Nos Astra, another ship entered orbit around Illium.<p>

It was a small ship, a frigate. A mere pinprick of light in the black of space. It zipped down through the atmosphere towards the city.

It obeyed all Illium traffic protocols and directions. It landed unnoticed in an inconspicuous landing field near the edge of the city.

The crew were tight knit., they knew each other well enough to begin making the landing checks and routines without instigation.

The captain was different. As the ship landed he turned and walked out of the ship's compact bridge, barely a room with several workstations. Satisfied with the landing, he rose and strode towards the rear of the ship. He approached a heavy door, unusual for a ship as small as this.

He tapped a series of keys into his omnitool and the door opened for him. He looked around the room in consideration.

He chose from the rows upon rows of racks that covered the walls a heavy pistol, an assault rifle, a long range sniper rifle and a healthy accompaniment of grenades and frag mines. He attached these to his armour. They were brought up as translucent images in his retinal hud when his armour recognised them.

He grabbed a good stock of thermal clips on his way out. He locked the door behind him, sealing the remainder of the large collection of weaponry in the room. He marched back to the bridge, the rest of his crew still remained there.

"I'm going out hunting, have the ship ready to go as soon as you can."

"No problem boss." His ship's XO replied. "She'll be ready for a hot lift off within the hour."

"Good." the captain said and made his way to the airlock. A ramp extended from the exterior door down to the landing platform. He traversed it with heavy treads. He emerged from the other side. No one to meet him. A ship as small as his wasn't even a footnote in the day's traffic logs.

He grunted and looked out onto the city in the distance. Great gleaming towers shone in the sunlight. The criss cross of air cars speckled the sky with tiny reflections going in all directions.

The bounty hunter Braille nodded to himself. He had work to do.


	16. Chasing death

_New Chapters to this story have gotten fewer and farther between recently. This is simply because I don't have the amount of free time I used to have. However, much like the Emperor - this story will never die. I love writing it and no matter how long it takes intend to finish it. A big thanks to all you who take the time out of your days to read it!_

_Now enough excuses, on with the story_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Sixteen: Chasing Death<strong>

The sun was low over the horizon, casting a low orange light on the glass spires of the city. A car streaked through the Illium skylines towards the Dantius towers. It joined countless others as it zipped through its predetermined skylanes.

"So what's your interest in Thane anyway?" Seyrena asked her passenger. The low hum of the car's engine was just audible outside the firm sound insulating canopy.

"I'm just here to make sure he survives." Shepard answered flatly.

"hmm." the asari replied, calculating though unwilling to press further.

The other occupants intrigued the asari. Aside from the heavily armoured human sitting next to her in the front of the car, there were two more human females sitting in the back. Both had hoods and both had been unusually quiet during the trip.

One of them particularly bothered her. She couldn't place her finger on it, but something wasn't quite right. She'd never seen armour that elegant before nor the long concealing cloak wrapped around the figure.

And the hooded mask. The expressionless, featureless mask.

The car descended and landed in a courtyard next to their destination. There was no-one around.

"This is as close as I'll get you. I'm not risking anything closer." Shepard, Kasumi and Eleiyra climbed out of the car. "Good luck!" Seyrena said and closed the windscreen. The trio watched the car lift up and away from the tower.

The towers loomed over them. Shepard looked at the two with her, the two that she'd decided was best suited for infiltration. Eleiyra and Kasumi, their weapons were already drawn, both of them looked ready.

"Let's get this done." she said to them, readying her own weapon.

* * *

><p>There was no one else in the Normandy cargo bay. The pair of them had evacuated it to start their little fire test.<p>

"You ready?" the krogan snarled. Eagerness was painfully obvious on his face.

"Ready!" the salarian replied. He stepped back and walked away from the target stand they'd set up.

It was a heavy stand, bolted to the section of the floor, it held a human sized chest piece of collector carapace. It looked like a frankenstein. The pair hadn't been able to find a single piece that would have fit the commander so they had to weld, melt and/or tie together several smaller pieces. The result was the same though, or so they hoped.

The salarian nodded to the krogan. Who grinned and levelled his rifle at the standard armour set they'd positioned next to their creation.

He fired with the rifle. The shots rang throughout the space. A few well placed shots into the armour. Its built-in shields had been deactivated for the test, and the bullets slammed into the multi-layered ablative plates.

His aim turned slightly and fired the same number into the collector chestpiece stood beside the first. Their sound was slightly duller or flatter as they hit the material. Satisfied, he unloaded the rifle and the pair walked up to inspect the damage.

"Several dents, one possible rupture. Stopped majority at 5th layer. Significant bruising for user. Possible penetration wound." Mordin said, examining the standard N7 chestpiece that they'd 'borrowed' from the armoury.

"Wait till you see this one, salarian." Okeer chuckled. The krogan stood next to the collector armour piece, rifle slung over his massive shoulder.

Mordin arrived at the collector armour stand. To his amazement, the only marks left on the armour were small indentations where small pieces had been chipped off. None had made it more than a quarter way through the material.

"Seems we have a winner eh? Heh Heh." Okeer grumbled.

* * *

><p>Two guards. Both by the balcony. There was no way around them. They'd passed several more on the way up here. A firefight now would call them up here. They needed to get to Thane, not scare him off.<p>

Shepard was still unseen. The others were edging closer. A little while later there were three short taps on the comm. Signal that they were ready.

Shepard stood up. Walked out from where she was hiding and towards the two guards. Her weapons were still locked in place.

Hands in the air, she walked towards them. One of them spotted her approach.

"Hey!" he called. The other turned to look.

"Who the hell are you?" he snarled. Weapon up and pointed towards her.

"I'm Commander Shepard. How are you today?"

"What the hell are yo-uurgh!" his speech cut short as her two cloaked colleagues appeared behind them and promptly dispatched them. They made no sound as they fell to the ground in crumpled heaps of armour.

"Good. Let's move on. Thane's probably ahead of us."

"Hmph. No response. You getting anything?" Okeer asked Mordin, just a few feet away in the lab.

"Negative. Tissues unresponsive. Organic cells not conducting signals from interface. Problematic."

The great Krogan grunted. "I wasted three varren on this?!" he snarled.

They stood in silence for a moment, each lost in their own means of forming a way forward.

"What if it has to be sentient?" the krogan muttered.

The salarian nodded, quickly following his train of thought. "Higher cognitive modifications may only show up in higher intelligence creatures. Or could only be keyed to collector genetic structure."

"Good luck getting that!" Okeer snarled. "Damn thing's DNA is so convoluted, breaks down near instantly after death. Couldn't tell you how that thing's DNA is organized now."

He looked back to the broken collector body on the lab table.

"I'll do it." he said. Nodding to himself. "Yes...I'll do it."

"No! Unwise! Unknown cognitive processes, could cause damage."

"Or it could not. ." replied the krogan. "Out of all of the people to do it, I'm the best choice. None of the crew would be willing, and besides." he smiled, a menacing purposeful smile. "I am Krogan. If anything could withstand it, it is me."

"What about Grunt? His genetic makeup is..."

"No! I will not risk the future of my race on this. I will do it!" he strode over to the table to begin the retrieval of the implants. The salarian remained where he was, hesitating.

"I'm going through with it regardless of what you do, salarian. So you might as well tag along. Make sure I don't die" he smiled again. "Besides, aren't you curious. The technology of these things...imagine if this worked!"

After a long pause. "Will need to de-contaminate key components for implantation. Will prepare sonic chamber."

"Hah!" Okeer bellowed and slapped Mordin on the back, knocking the breath out of the salarian, "That's more like it! I'll make a scientist out of you yet, salarian!"

* * *

><p>Below her were a couple dozen of eclipse. It looked like rec area. Most were in groups chatting, some were playing cards. A couple were even watching out for intruders. She could see the <em>legendary<em> discipline of the eclipse at work here.

She was perched in the roof scaffold. A half completed suspended ceiling spanned the room. She carefully placed one foot in front of another as she worked her way over the thin support struts. Some bent a little too much for her comfort, but she was over halfway.

Her foot slipped, it banged against one of the vertical ties. She froze, unwilling to make a single sound. Underneath her, no-one seemed to notice. They carried on their card games.

Relief washed over her. She continued onwards. The other two had just slipped through the crowds with their cloaks. She wasn't so fortunate and had to do it the hard way.

They slipped through, away from the crowded area and made their way in silence further up the tower. They embarked a lift, and ascended a hundred stories to its maximum height. The lit doors opened, opening onto a wide viewing gallery.

The three of them stayed low. Creeping over the floor of the gallery. Ahead of her was an eclipse merc, too distracted by his comm to notice them approaching. It sounded as if he was talking about the assassin.

"Turn around. . .very slowly." Shepard said to the man

His expression was unreadable under the helmet, but his voice betrayed it,

"Dammit." the man grumbled. He slowly turned around to face the three women in front of him.

"Tell me where Thane Krios is and I might let you live." Shepard said flatly.

"If I knew that, I wouldn't be wasting my time talking to you." He distain in his voice was evident. He crossed his arms. His pistol was still locked to its place on his hip. She could almost sense his desire to go for it. To chance it.

"You've got two ways down." She said, gesturing to the large screen of glass behind him.

He shrugged. It was the overconfident gesture of someone who thinks they've got the upper hand. "I've got nothing more to say to you. If you shoot me, my team next door will come through."

Fine. Have it your way, she thought. She nodded to Kasumi, who electrocuted him with her taser. The merc let out a feeble grunt as his body spasmed uncontrollably. He fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. He'd be unconscious for several hours, but by then the trio would be long gone.

* * *

><p>Okeer worked over the data. His excitement grew with each hour. He hadn't felt like this in years.<p>

On the lab bench in front of him was a tiny device placed carefully in the centre of a tray. Merely half a centimetre across it was almost too small to see.

Okeer looked at it. So small, so insignificant.

But the power. The potential. He was glad the salarian was on board with the plan. It was hard to see how he could refuse something like this, but he was glad nonetheless. Anything like this had the potential to go sour, an extra set of hands wouldn't go amiss.

The left most screen displayed all the details they had achieved so far about the device. Its size, components, internal structure. Okeer had studied collector technology for half a century, but he'd never seen anything like this.

The weapons were interesting. Large improvements on current day designs. Could potentially sell some schematics he thought, they'd certainly fetch a high price. Who in the galaxy doesn't have need for a bigger gun?

But this was greater. Something that, until now, the asari had maintained a monopoly over. The main reason why they could stand up to Turians or Salarians in a fight. Possibly why, Okeer theorized, why they lived so long.

Krogan lived just as long as asari, of course. But Krogan anatomy was brute force survival. It was built for existence. The asari however, were fragile things, similar anatomically to many other species. Species that snuffed out of life after only a century or two.

He was getting sidetracked. He needed to focus.

What was now the special reserve of a few, could very soon be open to anyone.

He looked back at the small collector chip on the tray. The collectors, it seemed, had unlocked and mastered the technological secrets to biotic power.

The krogan turned back to his work. Okeer would have that power.

* * *

><p>Shepard hurried the last few metres to the door. Thane was already inside, that was obvious. The sound of gunfire and screaming filtered through the thick door to Nasana's office.<p>

The door opened and the trio burst in. Rifles held up. In the office was nothing but devastation. There were bodies strewn everywhere. Nasana hadn't skimped on her personal guard, there must have been a dozen or so bodies lying in dead positions all around.

Shepard strode up to the centre desk. An asari in a blood stained dress lay over the middle. Her arms had been placed across her chest in some kind of burial fashion. Shepard didn't know what to make of it.

No sign of Thane.

"Damn it!" she cursed to the empty room. Behind her, Kasumi and Eleiyra were checking the bodies of the fallen. A pair of shaking heads told her that none were alive.

Shepard turned on her comm again. "Normandy, this is Shepard."

"Go ahead commander. We hear you."

"Mission was a bust. Thane got away. Have you tracked any traffic leaving this tower."

"Negative Shepard." EDI responded. "No vehicles have left the tower since you cut communications an hour ago."

"Dammit!" she strode up to the glass, it offered a spectacular view of the city beyond. The sun was just about to go under the horizon, turning the glass covered city a dazzling red.

She turned back to the other two, "Thane's gone. Mission was a bust. We search the area. He can't have gone far!"

* * *

><p>His large hands grasped the minutes from the meeting between the council and the Alliance ambassador, Udina. This was interesting. The alliance were going to start an expedition into the Terminus systems.<p>

This worried him.

This was a decision based on instinct. The alliance woefully underestimates the hidden power in the Terminus systems. Over a hundred worlds where all the inhabitants want is to be left alone. They're not going to take kindly to alliance warships prowling through their space.

This will bleed the alliance and they don't see it. The Horizon tragedy is too fresh, too real. It showed them that there are still big, bad wolves out there in the night.

The power balance was too fragile. It could be tipped easily. All his work. All these decades of work could be undone if he wasn't careful.

He sat there, with his hands on his desk. His fingers steepled before him.

He had an idea. He activated the holo terminal. He would use this opportunity to call his most promising investment.

The call went through almost immediately. No one kept the Shadow Broker waiting.

"Shadow Broker. This is unexpected."

"Illusive man." the shadow broker replied, "We have much to discuss."

* * *

><p>Two days.<p>

Two days of scouring the city for the escaped assassin before the search was called off.

"It's a good call commander, at this point we're wasting time." Miranda said, from a chair next to the commander. She winced as her wounds irked her, she bit back the pain.

"I've prepared the dossier on our second target, the asari justicar, if you'd like to take a look at it?"

"Yeah, I'll take it. Have Mordin or Okeer made any more progress?"

"They've manufactured five chest pieces made from the material. There's no way they were able to make them airtight, so they're designed to just bolt over our existing armour.

"Will that affect our armour's shields?"

"They're slightly increased the shield height so that the new addition just fits underneath. They say our shields will be weaker as a result, but it's greatly outweighed by the collector material's strength."

"Good. We'll need any advantage we can get. How're you healing up?"

Miranda nodded, "I'm well enough to work, despite what Doctor Chakwas may say."

"Miranda. . ." Shepard began.

"No commander." the XO interrupted, "The wound's in my hip. I spent most of my day sitting down. Either way, I'd be sitting up in the infirmary bed working or working sitting at my desk."

She stared the commander down.

"Ok, it's your call," Shepard replied, "I trust your judgement."

"Thank you Shepard. If it gets bad or refuses to heal, I will defer to Chakwas, until then I want to be of use."

The commander nodded, "Very well." she picked up the dataslate containing the Justicar's dossier. "I'll read this over, I need to go check on Garrus."

"Very good Shepard." Miranda said as Shepard left the briefing room. She watched the doors close behind the commander.

She groaned at the pain that had built up over the meeting. It was fine, it'd pass in a bit. The blue sphere of EDI popped up over the table.

"Operative Lawson, my sensors indicate you are not fully healed. I advise you to see Doctor Chakwas for further treatment."

"Be quiet!" Miranda spat as she gathered up the notes and information the commander and her had went over. She collected them all into a neat pile and scooped them under one arm.

"And make no mention of this to the commander. I order it."

"Of course, Operative Lawson."

Was that disapproval? Miranda thought...

No, of course not. She pushed it from her mind as she made to stand from the chair. She retrieved the assistance cane from the floor next to her. With an effort, she pulled herself up from the chair, leaning heavily on it. She slowly left the room, each strike of the cane on the floor echoing around the room with every step.

* * *

><p>Shhk! Eisenmus' sword cut a swathe through the daemons in occupying the inner shrine. A bloodletter fell to the ground in front of him. Bright red blood oozed from its mortal chest wound. Already its grasp on reality began to crumble, its material form unwinding back to the immaterium.<p>

Eisenmus was given no reprieve however. Its companion brought its blade down onto him. A strike that would cleave him in two. He managed to bring his sword up in a block. He parried. Drew back from its counter and struck. It dodged swiftly and leapt towards him. It snarled a hideous noise, rotting rows of teeth sitting in a raw, diseased jaw.

As it came on Eisenmus leapt backwards with as much force as he could muster. His armour complied and hurled him just out of the daemon's jaw's reach. Above it, his sword, held in anticipation of an overhand swipe, came down on the daemon's exposed neck. With little noise its head was separated from its head and body fell to the floor, lifeless.

Eisenmus took a second to steady himself. The inner sanctum was now a bloodbath of carnage and butchery. Blood flowed on the sacred floors while the battle continued to rage. The Imperial forces were making headway but at a brutal cost in lives.

Eisenmus recovered and pressed on, towards the inner sanctum. The guardsmen around him were buying time with their lives. He would make sure that their sacrifice was not in vain.

He held his weapons ready, making his way through the conflict raging around him. Las fire and bolter rounds screamed through the air towards the unholy foes. Through the double doors that led to the inner sanctum he saw a baleful red light.

Xanemaeron. He had chased the daemon for seven years. Following its trail of desecration and destruction. It ended here, he thought. Either for it or him.

He carved his way through to the doors, His armour boots slick with blood. With a power assisted gauntlet he retched the doors open. The ancient wood slammed against the wall and Eisenmus saw his enemy.

Xanemaeron. The Defiler, The Trickster, The Deviant. was crouched at the other end of the room. The walls were covered in ancient tomes dating back to before even the great crusade. This was one of the most sacred places in the Sector, and a daemon had made its home here.

Slowly, and with a leering grin, the daemon uncoiled itself from its supplicant position. Spinal bones cracked and splintered as it rose to stand, it took no notice. Its face, an unholy mass of eyes and mouths turned to the Inquisitor.

"Ahhhh. .. .Inquisitor. . .. ." its voice etched on the edges of Eisenmus's mind. "It has beeeen too loong." Its many mouths grinned.

Eisenmus was in no mood to talk. Just behind the daemon was the Sigil of Pastorii, a relic of an ancient noble house from the unification wars. Said to have been granted to the house by the Emperor himself just after the Age of Unification. It was the most holy object in the sector, and the reason for this retaliation force.

"You die now Daemon!" Eisenmus screamed and charged the beast. The daemon merely laughed and threw its arms up in joy as Eisenmus bared down on it.

It appeared uninterested as Eisenmus charged it. It flicked its wrist in the air and the rotten stench of warpcraft filled the room. Within half a second, through a twisting mass of flesh and sinew summoned from oblivion, a creature dwarfing any of Eisenmus's party materialised in the room. Ungodly grotesque and covered in sores. It turned its one good eye onto Eisenmus

He brought his sword round to attack the left side. At the last second the new daemon dodged. It snarled and brought its fists into a position of readiness. Eisenmus saw grotesque bone claws extend from its fingertips. With a shout, it charged Eisenmus. He brought his sword up to a parry and deflected on of its strikes.

Even in his armour, the force of the impact pushed Eisenmus back and he barely recovered to parry the next strike. This time though, he recovered first and sliced upwards with his weapon, cutting a gash in the creature's flank. It roared as the weapon bit deep, but turning back towards Eisenmus it smiled again.

Then its face exploded. Eisenmus was thrown back and knocked to the ground. He tried to find regain his stance. He could see the daemon was relatively untouched by the explosion. It looked around to see what had interrupted its amusement.

"My lord! Get down!" Eisenmus heard Hayt's voice nearby and threw himself further from the daemon. Having just recovered, the daemon was engulfed in another explosion. This one fared little better. Eisenmus looked round and saw Hayt standing near the entrance with a grenade launcher. He pumped grenade after grenade into the creature as it turned its attention on him.

Eisenmus sought to stand. As he rose he felt something helping him. Mechanical limbs were helping him regain his balance.

"Are you injured, lord?" came the flat, monotonous voice of Magos Hakkon. Eisenmus shook his head. Hakkon's robes were torn and covered in blood. his carapace was dented in half a dozen places. One of his eyes had cracked, but still that inner baleful fire remained.

"No I'm fine. With me, Hayt's bought us seconds."

"As you command, lord." He nodded his head mechanically and his four mechadendrites threw themselves into a combat stance. With the hiss and hum of an avatar of the Omnissiah, Hakkon followed the power armoured Eisenmus in his charge at the daemon.

Hayt jumped back out of reach. He had thrown the grenade launcher away, useless now with its ammo spent. The daemon bore down on him, swiping and stabbing. He dived right, he felt the air part as the daemon's claws sheared overhead.

The summoned daemon snarled. Annoyed at these little beings refusal to die. It resolved to make these things pay for their arrogance. The demon swiped again then threw its weight at Hayt. The great mass of the demon knocked Hayt across the room into the bookcases on the far side. The ancient petrified wood disintegrated under the impact and Hayt fell to the floor, buried in a heap of priceless, ancient tomes. The demon's claw descended to eviscerate this pest once and for all.

It made it halfway before its arm was separated by the blade of Eisenmus. The severed limb flopped to the floor. The daemon looked at its remaining stump of an arm and roared. Eisenmus doubted it could feel pain the same way he could. He backed off from its frenzied assault.

Hakkon was behind him firing a fusillade of las and autocannon blasts at the creature. Most were ineffectual. But accumulated, they took their toll. The creature was bleeding from dozens of bullet punctures and scorch burns.

* * *

><p>Xanemaeron watched from the rear of the room with a half interested look. Not willing yet to participate. It enjoyed watching the mortals struggle in futility. It drew a deep breath and smelled another scent. Both old and young. It smiled. Yess it thought. The time is right.<p>

"Eldaaaarrr. . ." it voiced into the dark vaults of the roof, unable to see them but knowing they're there. "Come, join the fun. Die like your colleagues. Offer yourselves to tzeentch."

Arced lightning was his reply, descending from the upper reaches of the ceiling. He blocked it with mental ease. The blue electricity curving around his form like waves upon the coast.

The eldar farseer was in front of him. Had they always been there or had she dropped down in the distraction? It was no matter it thought, and lashed out with a psychic attaack of its own. The eldar replied in kind and the two became locked in a battle of minds.

* * *

><p>Eisenmus saw the eldar materialise, and it angered him. Treacherous xenos. Using his men as fodder! The objective part of his mind told him to worry about this later, the xenos were distracting Xanemaeron, and would at least buy them time.<p>

Hakkon was a swirling mass of limbs. Close combat protocols had been initiated and he directed each limb through his central logistics engine, mapping out parabolic jump arcs and centre of mass calculations. He ducked and dived as the demon tried to swat him. Like a fly dodging a hand he moved fluidly. Every now and then his metallic talons biting into the flesh of the creature. Hayt had stumbled to his feet and unholstered his hell pistol, which he unloaded into the creature's back.

It was slowing, Eisenmus saw. It wasn't able to attack us all at once. He approached from the flank and during a brief flurry with Hakkon he struck. He flung all his weight behind in strike and his blade bit into the demon's side.

A horrific cry of annoyance issued from the creature and Eisenmus could see he had wounded it. It stumbled, trying to get a grip with Eisenmus. It took its attention off Hakkon for a brief period, which was a mistake.

Before it could reach Eisenmus Hakkon swept with all his metal limbs at the creature's legs, slamming hundreds of kilograms of metal into the creatures shins. The creature and Hakkon fell to the ground, knocked over by the reactionary moment force. It was all Eisenmus needed. He hurriedly thrust his sword into the prone creature, biting deep. It howled. Eisenmus hacked again, and again, and again. The creature's roars faded to whimpers, before becoming silent.

* * *

><p>Glaedara was struggling to cope. She had hoped to get to the demon earlier. It had almost grown to powerful for her to manage. It knew this, its spiteful grins remaining on its face as it assaulted the farseer with wave after wave of psychic energy. Its presence bearing down on her, steadily overpowering her.<p>

Then something barreled into the side of the demon's psychic presence. it resembled a golden eagle. It flew with wanton abandon against the psychic might of Xanemaeron. The pressure lifted from Glaedara. She saw with her mind's eye the monkeigh inquisitor beside her. He was yelling.

"Kill it! Kill the bastard!" the monkeigh was yelling. Glaedara felt the demon's attention shift. Now caught between two psychic forces it struggled to divide its strength. Glaedara's practiced mind trying to force back the waves of energy the demon was throwing out while the sensed the concentrated golden bird zoomed around striking the demon wherever it could. Relying on evasion and speed to do damage, knowing it was hopelessly outclassed in a frontal assault.

Xanemaeron was getting agitated. These beings were persistent. No matter . . . they would be destroyed. He still wasn't even trying at this point. He decided a slow, agonizing death was required and slowly, inexorably increased the psychic pressure on both parties.

The pressure returned for the farseer, she could feel her mind slowly buckling under the weight of energy. Eisenmus felt the strain as well. his attacks becoming more painful and less effective. He had to focus with all his inner strength to evade the tendrils that it was firing out. One good hit and he would be obliterated. Behind his attacks, he could feel his mental barriers burning off, like the atmosphere of a planet before a supernova.

His colleagues added their fire to the daemon. Firing their weapons at it. They hit the daemon's warp summoned shields. Bolt rounds and las shots exploding and dissipating before they reach the demon.

It smiled. "How does it feel . .to have come so clooose. . .and lose? . . . " it said slowly increasing its power over the two of them.

It felt another presence. Behind it, did another psyker enter? No this was was already in the room… It turned and looked at the relic. Golden lines began to appear on its surface, tracing the decorations and engravings of House Pastorii.

* * *

><p>After being dormant for so long, ancient circuits, now long forgotten enacted their directives. The Sigil, manufactured in the dark age of technology...at the height of human power, activated.<p>

The Sigil was a gift from the Emperor to the Noble House of Pastorii, one of the earliest explorator houses. It was they who mapped large sections of the eastern fringe and laid the foundations of all the star charts currently used by imperial cartographers.

Its purpose had since been long forgotten. Crowded by superstition and ritual. It was intended as a small astronomican. A beacon of light in the warp for navigation and travel, much weaker than the light of the Emperor. But with it as a tiny reference in the small, dark corners of the galaxy, the influence of House Pastorii and by extension the Emperor, spread out to the Eastern fringe.

Over the centuries, its power waned and was rendered obsolete by the brighter, more accurate light of the astronomican on Terra. It was locked in a vault and kept as a relic, its use long forgotten.

Until now.

Activated by the presence of so much psychic energy being exerted. The circuits of the beacon flowed with life. Life that had been blessed by the Emperor himself. All three psykers felt it. The Emperor's psychic imprint was infused within the beacon. The beacon psychically shone brighter and brighter. Rising from a dull glow to a blinding light.

* * *

><p>Xanemaeron felt heat radiating from the object. It was of the warp, but its light was poison. He felt himself being burnt against this light. The intensity rose and rose, his power falling.<p>

The Anathame! he realized. His taste was here! A sense of wariness grew over him as he felt the other two psyker's powers bolstered by the Anathame's presence.

Still it drained him. He felt himself getting weaker and weaker. He tried not to panic as the psychic flow reversed, his own aura being compressed under the relentless barrages of the other two. He was losing! So clossee!. . .

'No! he screamed. 'No. NO!'

They pressed in harder, he felt them at the edges of his being. They tried to get in. He felt back to the warp. He felt his master, his patron, his father. What was he doing? He was still, staring at Xanemaeron

No, he was laughing at him.

No, No, NO, NO! This was not how it was supposed to be. Curse them! He'd drag them back to the warp if he had to!

Using the last dregs of his diminishing power, he summoned himself back to the empyrean, seeking to drag everything within a hundred metres screaming and clawing into the void.

Juust a little fuurtherr...

Reality collapsed. Their vast, swirling duel of psychic energy was embroiled in warp energy. For a split second, Xanemaeron had won. Then the device that contained the pure psychic imprint of the Emperor touched the raw, unfiltered, chaotic maelstrom that was the warp.

The Emperor is called the Anathame by the gods of chaos for good reason. His presence is as poisonous to the warp as the warp is to mortals. No-one knows what happened, only that every psyker within the sector was briefly blinded by a blinding flash thousands of times larger than the astronomican. Millions perished in lost vessels, their navigators blinded.

Agrippa was embroiled in a warp storm. The walls of reality pushed too far to breaking point. Five billion people as well as nearly all the imperial expeditionary force was sucked into oblivion, their souls devoured by monsters and daemons.

The bell of souls toiled on Terra for days.

Eisenmus woke. He sat bolt upright in his bed aboard the Normandy, cold sweat clinging to his face and skin. The sound of ringing bells in his ears.


	17. Code and Law

**Chapter Seventeen: Code and Law**

"I see you've been learning." Shepard said.

"Indeed I have." the farseer said. She sat at the opposite side of the table to Shepard. The pair of them were alone in the observation gallery. Their view offering a wide vista of the internal hangar wall.

Glaedara had indeed been learning. From the moment of her decision to aid the human she had devoted herself into knowledge. This new time and its worlds, its civilizations, its locations. She had utilized techniques not honed in millennia. Her learning had been stifled at first, but it had quickened. Their construct known as the 'extranet' had been very helpful.

The farseer took a drink. Chilled water. She required nothing more at the moment.

"You can colour me impressed." the human said. Her own drink steaming a large column of vapour into the air in front of her. "Not many people could take in as much information as you're going through."

The farseer shrugged. A calculated, human gesture conveying modesty. "It was no feat."

The sound of laughter issued from beyond the door. The sounds of one of Gardner's infamous 'movie nights'.

"I understand that this must have been hard for you and Eleiyra." Shepard said, bringing her head back to the eldar. "The others, the imperials you call them, at least they're human. You two are the only ones of your kind in this universe."

"I thank you Shepard. But there is dignity in that. Our very presence here is a measure of our success. Had we failed, we would not be here."

There was a brief pause. "You know what I'm going to say?" Shepard asked.

The farseer nodded slowly. Her powers had grown with practice. She was more at ease with her traditionally lesser used abilities.

She closed her eyes. She saw in her mind's eye the glistening spires and the shimmering hull, gliding silently and effortlessly through the void.

"Ys Arthar...my craftworld...my home…" she hesitated. The word had carried with it the millions of eldar still aboard the world now.

"It was beautiful Shepard." she said. The emotions of the memories taking her back. Letting her stand in the Merthyr forests or along the shores of the Circle Sea. "A world taken to flight. Breathed to life by my ancestors. The size of a planet, with the resources of many."

The human was looking at her.

"It was a jewel in the dark. I spent all my life walking its promenades. Studying within its halls. Gazing up to ever changing stars as it sailed through the universe."

"That sounds amazing. I can only hope that someday our own societies reach the same heights yours have." the human said.

Glaedara's memories, just moments ago colourful began to fade.

"What?" Shepard asked.

Glaedara knew her moods were showing. "Do not believe that too dearly." she said, with flecks of grief sprinkled along the melodic words.

"What do you mean?" the commander asked.

The human was curious now. Good. This is what she needed. "We...my people, we are dying." she said plainly. Leaving the gravity of the statement to hand in the air before continuing.

"In our past, we were arrogant. Spoilt. Hedonistic and savage." the words came out like symphonic curses. Tinged with implied spite and anger. "Our great civilization collapsed. We are scattered. A rare sight, even in our own time."

She looked back at Shepard. "You said that it must have been terrible to adjust to a lonely existence in this universe? In truth, it was not as grievous as you imagine it was. Even in our own home, the life of an eldar is a lonely one in the uncaring cosmos."

"But all that stuff you said about your home?"

"All that I said is true. Ys Arthar is beautiful. Its glimmering spires, its deep wooded forests… But I also see the empty cities. Those that would have been populated at the vessel's launch. Imagine it, craft of such scale as to house twenty, fifty cities! Great cities, the size of this one.." she gestured outside, "Devoid of life. Empty, as our numbers dwindle over the centuries."

"To walk among peaceful trees, and not see a single other traveler. To stand along the shore of a crafted sea, and not see a sailing ship on the horizon. To stand at the top of one of the many spires of a city built to house millions and gaze down to the empty streets whose occupants have now joined the ancestors in the lasting peace. That is the life of the Eldar, Shepard."

There was a silence in the gallery. "I'm sorry Glaedara. I can't imagine what that must be like for a people."

"Since I arrived here I have been meditating on the circumstances of our arrival. That should it have happened, was an impossibility… but we are here now. I have accepted the fact that I am not making my way back to my home. I have no purpose here. No home here. What I know is combat and counsel. I have been robbed of my greatest resource to counsel, my ability to see the paths of the far future. So now I endeavour to explore other means of suggestion. Knowledge, experience, warning. Tools I can provide for you in your fight against these collectors."

"Tools I will happily accept." Shepard replied, "Are you positive you want a place on my team? You know the odds of my mission."

"I do. Upon the Citadel I sensed something. I wasn't sure what it was precisely, but what I am sure of, is that my place in this world is here."

"And you are very welcome here, Glaedara."

* * *

><p>"Well?" the big Krogan asked. "Pretty good isn't it?"<p>

Him and Mordin stood beside a rack of armour pieces. Mostly chestpieces, with a mixture of helmets, greaves and boots.

Around half was human sized, or designed for the human frame at least. Shepard noticed a couple of helmets that were obviously designed for a turian and a krogan.

They had been sprayed dark grey, devoid of any insignia. Their surfaces were slightly coarse. They presented an unusual texture as Shepard ran her hand over them.

"These are all made from collector materials?"

Mordin shrugged. "Existing equipment upgraded. Collector material somewhat unworkable. Minor electronics, communications. Much better to integrate with existing pieces.

She picked up a helmet and flicked it around. It was roughly the same size as her own, maybe a little bigger. It looked sleeker, with less angles. Probably because of the material she guessed.

She put it on. It didn't feel any heavier. The interior was untouched. It felt just like her own. She took it off again.

"What's the damage protection like?" she asked.

Okeer grinned. He grabbed the helmet from Shepard and strode over to the weapon testing range built into the corner of the armoury. He placed the helmet on a peg near the far end. About 15 feet or so from the firing line.

He returned. Then without warning, he drew his pistol, turned back and fired two shots at the helmet. The rounds clanged off the material. Satisfied, he retrieved the helmet and handed it back to the commander.

"Like this." he replied, the grin not leaving his face.

Shepard was amazed. She looked at the bullet marks. One had glanced and done nothing aside from a discoloured streak of unpainted carapace. The other had impacted near the mouth covering. She saw a deep chip where the bullet had impacted, a gouge in the material but the round had failed to penetrate. Other than that the damage was merely superficial.

"This was without barriers?" she asked in disbelief.

"It was." Okeer replied. "This material is fantastic. Time permitting, after we've exhausted our supply on board, I ask that we return to Horizon and comb the ruins for any more of this stuff. If we don't run into more of them in the meantime, that is."

"I'll see what I can do. The Alliance have got Horizon on lockdown since the attack."

The krogan shrugged "Minor obstacles for great reward, Shepard."

* * *

><p>Nos Astra industrial Spaceport. Here was where they'd find the asari justicar. A vast structure encompassing many dozens of square miles, it handled most of the freight to and from Nos Astra. Unlike the commercial dock where the Normandy was docked. It was clear from the air that this edifice was entirely focused on the movement of goods. No long shopping arcades or entertainment centres to distract waiting passengers. Only great cranes and waiting freighters.<p>

Shepard, Garrus and Zaeed disembarked the air car on a wide balcony at the edge of the industrial spaceport.

"I told you before Shepard, I'm fine." Garrus protested. "Hell, you were dead a few months ago, you don't see me telling you to take it easy."

"Alright" she smiled. "Heads up. This should be the place."

They approached a large structure nearby. The local police precinct. Located close to one of the main passenger taxi stations, it probably allowed the officers to maintain a good level of surveillance on incoming and outbound traffic.

They entered the building and promptly set off every weapon scanner as they crossed the threshold. A trio of asari law officers approached them. Weapons ready.

"Hands up!" one called out.

Shepard didn't move. "I'm commander Shepard. Council Spectre. They're both with me." she gestured to Zaeed and Garrus. "I'm going to reach for my credentials now." she very slowly moved her arm to her omnitool and brought up her spectre credentials.

The guards viewed them. They hesitated.

"Better call it in." one said. This was clearly above their paygrade.

One got on the comm to someone unseen. "Boss. We've got a Spectre out front… Yeah… Don't know… Ok, got it ma'am." the asari finished the conversation and turned back to the commander.

"Detective wants to see you upstairs." she said. Not taking her eye off of Shepard's veritable arsenal of weapons attached to her hips and back. "Follow me."

The trio followed the guards through the police precinct. Through the main work area and up a flight of stairs to an office overlooking the main floor. The team was gestured inside.

An asari sat behind a desk of stacked datapads. The room smelled heavily of cig-smoke. Shepard could see one in the detective's hand, trailing smoke up to the ceiling.

The asari stared at them when they entered. Her features contorted into an expression of annoyance.

"Can I ask what the fuck is going on here?" the detective said.

"You've lost me." Shepard replied, taken aback by the blunt questioning.

"Warm welcome…" Garrus quietly muttered over the trio's comm.

An alert came up on the detective's computer. An incoming call. She slammed the hold button with her palm. She turned back to them.

"I have eclipse mercs having a fucking party in every back alley, drug den and warehouse in this district. I have an asari justicar showing up, who's only left a trail of death and property damage wherever she's went..." she took a breath of the cigarette. "and now I've got a goddess-damned Spectre showing up on my fucking welcome mat. So tell me.. is there something I'm missing here?"

"Sounds like we're in the right place, Shepard." Zaeed chuckled.

Shepard crossed her arms. This wasn't the welcome she had expected. "I'm looking for that asari justicar, her name's Samara. You know where she was last seen?"

The detective sighed, "Look, if you've got a score to settle with Samara, take it somewhere else - I've got more than enough trouble here already. I don't need two high ranking, above the law, trigger happy special ops turning my entire district into a damn shooting gallery."

"I have no intention of shooting her. I just want to talk to her." Shepard replied.

"That's a first…" Garrus said. Zaeed laughed.

The detective flashed agitated looks to Shepard's companions. "You're not the one I'm worried about. But hey, who am I to come between the mighty causes of a Spectre and a justicar? That said, if you can get her the hell out of my district, I'll get you to her ASAP."

"You sound very anxious to get Samara out of your district."

The detective lit another cigarette. "I've just been ordered to detain her. Something about a 'cross species incident'" the detective made air quotes, "But justicars, being oh so holier-than-thou defenders of truth and justice, won't let themselves be subject to the same laws they protect. If I try to do my job, she'll kill me. If I don't do my job, I'll lose it. So if you can lure her away with some big noble cause before I have to carry out my orders, I'm right behind you. She's at the crime scene nearby."

The computer beeped. She slammed the hold button again.

"Samara would kill a cop? How's that fit into being just?" Zaeed asked from behind.

The detective laughed. "Hah! You try explaining that to them. She'd fight an army of corrupt cops to the death, but supposedly die defending an honest cop... except when the honest cops disagree with her. Then all bets are off. Her presence here is a big problem. I need her gone before I need to carry out my orders."

"Is this lawful? Your superiors are sending you to certain death for no good reason. You have a right to disobey." Shepard said.

There was a pause. "I have no desire to die. But if I refuse, I'll lose my job and they'll send some other poor bitch to do the deed". She looked out over the work area. There were a dozen workstations each staffed with officers, overwhelmingly asari. More officers went to and fro. the busied activity of law enforcement.

"I'd rather do it myself than be responsible for sending some of my girls here to die. Something my superiors clearly don't share."

"What can you tell me about justicars, so I know what to expect." Shepard shifted in her chair.

"They're a kind of. . .humans might call them 'warrior monks'. They live by a complex code that tells them to punish the wicked and protect the pure." the asari scoffed. "I don't know what she's here for, but you can bet it's something big. Justicars don't often venture outside of asari space."

Shepard nodded, "I'll do what I can. You mentioned a crime scene, how do I get there?"

"It's on the next block over. Go outside, take a left. Head on down the road until you see the police line. I'll send word to let you in. Careful though. The mercs have been all over those back alleys lately."

"And the extent of these mercenaries?" Shepard asked.

The detective shrugged, "They're eclipse mercs - professional killers. They dominate the red sand market here, trade illegal weapons tech and smuggle criminals off world. They control some, hell.. most, back alleys around here. Haven't been able to find their nest yet though."

"Seems like just about everyday we get to go into snooping around a den of fucking psychopaths.." Zaeed mumbled

"This day just gets better and better…" Shepard sighed.

At her desk, the detective smiled grimly, "Yeah, tell me about it."

* * *

><p>The door quietly slid shut behind the magos as he entered. The same could not be said for the magos himself, whose body was hummed and hissed as he moved.<p>

Eisenmus and Hayt were already seated in the room. Eisenmus at the desk, Hayt sat upon the bed. The quarters were small, and they become crowded with Hakkon's bulk.

"Lord." the magos said. Bowing his head to the inquisitor. The inquisitor nodded back.

"Well?" Hayt said, giving a questioning glance at Eisenmus.

Eisenmus unsteepled his hands on the desk. He looked at his companions.

"I have received a communique from the Illusive Man." he said flatly. He continued. "As you know, I informed him of our decision to work with him. To which he agreed. He informed me that he would communicate soon after with further instructions."

He held up a datapad for the both of them to see. "I just received them. We are to meet one of his agents tomorrow. The agent will take us to another ship where we will begin our work in earnest with Cerberus." he paused. "Your thoughts?"

Hayt's brow furrowed. "I don't like this. Could be a trap."

He inquisitor nodded. "It could be, but I do not believe so. I believe he views us as strategic pieces. From speaking with Shepard, it would seem many people in this world desire what we have. Our information, our technology." he briefly saw Hakkon's tendrils fidget.

"We don't want that to happen. And neither, I think, does Cerberus. My research on them has been exhaustive ever since we contacted him. They do appear work to benefit mankind. Their methods are methodical, called ruthless by those of this time. But I believe they may be our best hope to finding what's out there, and why we're here."

The signs..." the stormtrooper said, "The Sigil activating when it did. The statue. The trinkets Hakkon's turned up. The signal from that Nebula."

The inquisitor nodded, "I agree. Something put us here. I intend to find out what."

Hayt looked at his old superior, "I stand by you, my lord."

"As do I, lord." replied the magos. The mechadendrites slowly moving of their own accord behind him.

The inquisitor nodded. They were agreed.

"We must make preparations for tomorrow." he began...

* * *

><p>Shepard and her companions were on guard. The detective wasn't joking about the alley . It looked like a battle had taken place. Bodies of dead mercenaries littered the floor. The area was devoid of any passers-by. The police had cleared the area.<p>

"Looks right cheery." Zaeed said, looking at the bodies. "Huh, no blood. Hardly any bullet wounds. This looks like blunt force trauma."

A crack of gunfire echoed between the buildings. It came from up ahead. They raced towards it. It came from inside a building on their left. They readied weapons and entered.

The sight of an asari eclipse mercenary flying across the room was their first welcome.

"Those were my best troops" another asari mercenary said. She was above them, on an upper level of the warehouse.

Another asari came into view. Dressed in red. Glowing incandescently with biotic power. "Tell me what I need to know, and I will be gone from here. Where did you send her?" she said.

"You think I'd betray her?" the mercenary replied. She was glancing round. She was backing off from the second. "She'd hurt me in ways you can't imagine."

The second asari closed on the merc, "The name of the ship. Your life hangs on the answer, Lieutenant."

"You can kill me, but one of us will take you down, justicar!" the weapon came up. Before she could pull the trigger she was blasted across the room with a powerful biotic blast. Shepard watched her fly down from the upper level and impact on the far wall. A crunching sound denoted the breaking of bones and the mercenary slumped to the ground.

The justicar followed. Gently gliding down from the top level to bottom with aid of her biotic ability.

"What was the name of the Ship she left on?" she said. She placed her boot over the mercenary's neck.

The merc coughed and looked up at the justicar standing over her, "Go to hell!"

An impassive mask descended over the justicar's face for a moment, then she closed her eyes. "Find peace in the embrace of the goddess."

She snapped the merc's neck with a twist of her boot. The body went limp.

Her eyes opened and looked up to Shepard and her two companions. She slowly stepped away from the body. "I am Samara, servant of the justicar code. My quarrel is with these Eclipse sisters, but I see three well armed people before me. Are we friend? Or foe?"

The rifle Shepard had been aiming went down. "I'm Commander Shepard of the Normandy. We are friend, justicar. I need your help with a critical mission."

"You honour me. But I am in the middle of an investigation." she turned back to the Merc and detached the body's omnitool. She stowed the small device in a closed pocket at her waist.

"I need you to help me take down the collectors." Shepard said.

The justicar was still looking over the mercenary. "The collectors are a worthy foe. I would relish testing myself against them. But I seek an incredibly dangerous fugitive." she looked at Shepard. "I cornered her here, to Illium, but the eclipse sisters smuggled her offworld. I must find the name of the ship she left on before the trail goes cold."

The sound of feet and equipment came from behind the group. A fresh voice emerged from the warehouse entrance. A large group of ten or eleven asari stood by the entrance, blocking any exit. They were equipped with full riot gear. Their weapons were drawn.

The detective stood in front of them, a cigarette smoking in her mouth. She retrieved it and exhaled. She stepped forward,

"Justicar Samara. I've been ordered to take you in if you don't leave this district. Cooperate, and we can all walk away. None of us want a needless bloodbath." the detective looked around at the broken bodies of the eclipse mercenaries. Her disgusted glare found its way back to the justicar, "well..._another_ one at least."

Samara drew herself up and marched up to the detective. All the asari officers' guns stayed trained on the justicar.

Samara looked at the awaiting troop. "You risk a great deal by following your ordered detective. Fortunately I will not have to resist. My code obligates me to cooperate with you for one day. After that, I must return to my investigation."

The detective looked up at the justicar. She was about a head shorter than Samara, but she looked her square in the eye. She flicked her cigarette away. "We both know I won't be able to let you go that soon."

"You won't be able to stop me."

The detective snorted. "So that's it then? You gonna use your code to justify killing those law officers back there?" she pointed to her squad behind her.

"You would kill innocent police officers to escape lawful arrest?" Shepard asked Samara.

Samara looked round to Shepard. "The detective has been ordered to detain me. I can't force her to disobey an order."

"For a day?"

"Yes." the Justicar nodded.

"And after that?"

"After a day…" the detective interjected, her arms across her chest. "Samara _chooses_ fights her way out of custody killing anyone in her way."

"It is not a choice, Lieutenant. It is the code."

"I follow a code, justicar. It's called the law. My job is to ensure everyone in my district follows it." she turned and looked at Shepard and snorted, "But justicars are special aren't they? Laws are just something that happens to other people…"

"I'm a Spectre." Shepard said, "I'm also technically above the law as well."

The detective shrugged. "I'm not fond of Spectres either, but at least you report to the same authority that the law agencies technically do."

"Strange." Samara said. "I wasn't under the impression the Citadel Council had much authority in the Terminus systems, detective."

"And the Justicar Monastaries do?" the detective replied.

"You said you were here tracking a fugitive?" Shepard asked, "You needed the name of a ship? Do you have any leads? Maybe the detective has something you can use."

The justicar nodded her head, "Yes, the volus merchant, Pitne For, is tied to this. Eclipse mercs are planning to kill him."

"Pitne For?" the detective interrupted. "You sure about that? Is that a genuine threat to his life?"

"I am sure, detective."

"This may not be a complete waste after all." the detective muttered. She brought up her omnitool. "Station, this is Mala. Throw that volus merchant into one of the secure rooms. I got a testimony from a justicar that there's a valid threat to his life. Reason enough to bring him in. If he refuses, forcefully persuade that its the right decision."

She looked at the other two, "I had that merchant grounded as a potential murder suspect. He's stuck in the precinct grounds. We can speak to him back at the station."

"We need to get the truth out of him. He may know a way to the eclipse base." Samara said.

The detective sighed as she inserted another lit cigarette between her teeth. "Let's head back to the station. I guess I'm going to have company back there. " she shifted a glance at the justicar, then to Shepard.

* * *

><p>The interrogation room was small, featureless and sterile. There were no windows, or mirrors, or ornamentation of any kind. Cameras mounted in the walls provided a full 360 view of the subject for any observers in an adjacent control room.<p>

Pitne For sat on the chair. His legs dangled off the floor. The sound of his respirator filled the hard surfaced cube. He fidgeted with his suit settings. He lowered the internal temperature, trying to offset his profuse sweating.

The door in front of him slid open. He was about to protest when the detective that had grounded him, an asari justicar, and a heavily armed human female entered the room. The detective sat down on the chair facing him. The other two stood behind her.

They suddenly looked very big.

The detective lit a cigarette and breathed in. Smoke drifted up from her mouth.

"So. Pitne For. You know me, this is justicar Samara and Council Spectre Shepard. We'd like a word with you."

"Oh." he barely managed, "Hello."

"I have a statement," the detective started, "from Samara here that the local Eclipse Mercenaries are currently planning to kill you."

"Oh dear. Please, I told you You must let me leave this place."

"Do you know why they would come after you?"

"I have no idea!"

"Take a good look at who you share this room with, Pitne For." the detective replied. "Let's not fuck about please. Do you know why these mercs are coming after you?"

"I have no idea. Really, I don't!"

"That is a shame." Samara said walking around the table and stood over the volus. "Shepard, Detective. I would like some time alone with Pitne For."

The volus had leaned as far away from the Justicar as the chair permitted.

"Oh dear. Please. Please don't go."

"Tell me what I want to know, Pitne For." the detective repeated.

The volus shot glances to the justicar, to the detective and back again, "I.. I can't."

"This woman just slaughtered a group of eclipse mercs because they wouldn't give her the name of a ship she wanted." Shepard said from the back of the room. "Trust me, she's not joking around."

"Tell me what I need to know, and I will be gone from here." the Justicar said, repeating what she had said to the asari eclipse mercenary half an hour before.

"You… you will be gone?" the staggered breathing volus asked.

"Yes." came the soft reply from the Justicar.

"You won't kill me?"

Samara looked down at the volus. "The code I follow allows for atonement, Pitne For. I pursue a very dangerous fugitive. One who has killed many people. A criminal far more dangerous and far more destructive than what petty crimes you may have committed."

"I am not after you, Pitne For. If the information you provide allows me to catch my quarry, then by the code your crimes will be considered atoned for." she looked over at the detective, "you may still be charged for your crimes by the detective here. But I feel that they will be far less stringent than the punishments I will enact on those who obstruct my investigation."

"Oh." the volus managed. The sound of his breathing apparatus became more strained.

"Your choice, Pitne For. Atone… or obstruct" the Justicar finished.

"I… I…" the other occupants saw the small volus shoulders deflate. The merchant had finally resigned himself to his unfortunate situation. "I may have sold them a bla- uh greyish market chemical that acts to boost biotic powers combat. It also… is toxic. That may have ah.. slipped, from the negotiations. Now they are perturbed and want to kill me."

"Have you been in the Eclipse base?" Shepard asked.

The dejected Volus nodded his head. His hands fumbled with each other on the table top.

"They operate from a series of docking bays. Bays 13 to 21 when I was last there. That's where they keep their private ships. They're well armed. And they've got mechs. Lots of mechs."

"This group recently smuggled an individual off world." Samara said. "What was the name of the ship?"

"I don't know! I swear!" panic seeped into his voice, "I don't know about their people smuggling operations, I'm just an outside supplier of goods! I'm sure they have records of that sort in their base. I.. I have a pass card. They issued it to me to bring in my goods. I had to return that one, but I made a copy! Here!"

He fumbled in his chair. He reached into a satchel around his body and took out a key.

"Take it, it's yours. But be careful. They're all murderers. They're all dangerous.

The detective picked up the key from the table. he regarded it closely. "Thank you for your cooperation, Pitne For. This'll be taken into account at your hearing."

"Oh…" the sad tones of the volus returned. "Good."

* * *

><p>The group reconvened in the detective's office. The detective shut the door behind them. "If you're going after these thugs, I can provide backup. I've been trying to smoke them out of their nest for months. I've never been able to find their centre of operations until now."<p>

"We'd be grateful for any backup you could give us." Shepard said.

They brought up the location the volus supplied onto the holotable. A large three dimensional map of the structure appeared before them. The detective studied it closely.

"My hard operations teams can be ready in an hour. You look like you can handle yourselves." she glanced over the group. Her eyes passed over the numerous weapons and combat gear present in her office. "You could take the front entrance, off the main thoroughfare." she highlighted it on the map.

"It's narrow and crowded, perfect for a small strike team. My teams on the other hand will move in with air cars and secure the hangers here, here and here. We've got the numbers to prevent an escape."

Shepard looked over the battleplan. "Seems good. Give me your comm channels. We'll make our way to this junction." she pointed to an area off and further back from the point of entry. "We'll hold there and await your ready signal."

"Yes… Yes!" the detective ran her hand over her headcrests. "If we fucking pull this off. I'll owe you one, commander." she glanced over to Samara sitting mere feet away, "Two, if you count getting her off my chest."

* * *

><p>"Station. This is Shepard. In position." They stood beside their aircar, around the corner from the Eclipse base entrance.<p>

"Acknowledged. Standby for mission go."

They were off a wide street, presumably used for service vehicles, the buildings were far back from the roads, with lots of room for loading or unloading of supplies. Large nondescript industrial warehouses surrounded them. This wasn't an area frequented by tourists or social high-fliers. There was a consistent low rumble in the air. The sound of monstrous freighters lifting off and landing around them. Just now, the sky was darkened by a large chemical hauler. Its cylindrical tanks taking up much of the sky.

It passed overhead and the sky returned.

"This is station to all units. Plan is go. Repeat plan is go."

Shepard's group checked their weapons one last time before rounding the corner. There was no one in the street as they crossed the roadway, weapons aimed at the wide industrial door on the far side.

They approached. It was locked. They quickly overwrote the locks with commands provided by the detective.

They entered the corridors beyond. They rounded another corner and came across a trio of eclipse. A quick burst of fire from her group and the three went down.

She heard shouting from further down the corridor. The rush of boots. She steadied her rifle against her shoulder for more.

* * *

><p>The complex was a narrow warren of admin spaces and inventory storage before opening up to the larger warehouses and storage hangars out the back. The mercs had been caught off guard by their offensive. Confusion set in as they were assaulted from the front by Shepard's crack team and the rear by the more numerous Illium police forces. Capitalizing on the disarray, Shepard and her team had fought their way near to the hangars themselves. They'd been getting constant reports of the Illium hard operations teams. They'd hit the hangers hard. Reporting in dozens of merc kills.<p>

Her team advanced slowly down a corridor bordering on the main warehouses of the complex. There was no sound of gunfire or fighting. She must still be quite separated from the main fights happening in the hangers.

A noise from up ahead. She tensed. her rifle aimed at an opening intersecting their corridor.

Slowly, they creeped up. The noise continued. Grew louder.

Then, as they were almost at the opening, a volus drunkenly spilled out into their view.

It was clearly incapacitated. It hobbled comically on its short legs. The group stepped closer to it. It took no notice. Then, slowly, deliberately, it turned it head around.

It took several seconds before recognizing there was someone there, then it held out its arms above its head.

"I…"it began, "am a biotic GOD!" it exclaimed. It hobbled towards their group, unsure of its own legs. "I think things," it clenched a fist, "and they happen!"

It shook its fist at Shepard. "Fear me lesser creatures, for I am biotics made flesh!"

Shepard shook her head in disbelief, "you need help."

"bah! You need help!" it retorted, it swayed to one side,"you stand before the mightiest biotic ever!"

It continued its insane monologue, "Yes, the asari injecting so many drugs into me was terrifying. But then I began to smell my greatness! They may laugh, when I fall over, but they don't know what I know in my head - that I know that I am amazingly powerful." it looked over the group before it.

"Fear me!" it demanded of them.

"Are you part of Pitne For's trade group?" Garrus asked.

"When I was mortal I worked for Pitne. Poor soul is probably terrified that I have not returned."

"Yeah." Zaeed called, "he's so fucking terrified he didn't even mention you were missing. He just wanted to get away. All that guy cares about is money. He'd screw over a friend for pay anyday."

"Bah! I will wreak a just vengeance upon his people! But first… the leader of the mercenaries is in the next room! Her guards and all the mechs she could muster! Dozens! Dozens of dozens! Hah, their numbers don't matter, I will destroy them all!"

The volus turned to face the direction he had come from, "I shall toss Wasea about like a ragdoll!"

"You want me to kneecap this guy so he doesn't follow us around? He's in no state to fight." Zaeed said.

"I will tear her apart! My biotics are unstoppable!"

Shepard turned to the small volus, "Wasea will tear _you_ apart. Sit down, you'll feel better."

The volus looked at her intently, "Are you mad?! I'm unstoppable! Feasting on Wasea's biotic rich blood will be my last ascension to godhood.." he turned his back on the group.

Shepard lightly tapped the volus in the back while he turned to head back down the corridor. His balance failed him and he went crashing to the ground.

"I… Biotic…." he lay still on the ground, mumbling gently to himself.

"This could be difficult."Shepard said, turning back to her two squad members. Best to call in backup."

"Aye." Zaeed agreed. "He may be off his tits on whatever drugs they pumped him with, but I don't think he's wrong about the people this Wasea's got in the next room. Good call on that."

"Station. This is Shepard. What's the status of your teams?"

"One team's pinned in warehouse 19. Looks like the mercs were concentrating on trying to make a breakthrough. Secure a point of departure. I've repositioned teams 3 and 4 to try and relieve some of the pressure."

"You have my current position on your tac-map, station. The room next to us contains the merc leader, Wasea. Her position may be heavily defended. Can you spare any men to help us?"

"Negative Shepard. All my squads are tied down. I can't get to you. You're on your own."

"Acknowledged station." Shepard said and cut the comm.

"No luck eh?" Garrus asked.

"No, we're on our own for this one."

Zaeed shrugged, "Ehh, I've been in worse odds. You know, this takes me back to…." he looked round, "hey! Where's that bloody Volus go?"

She looked round to the spot where he'd been lying. He wasn't there.

"He didn't head back did he?" she asked him.

Realization washed over the party as their heads turned to the direction he appeared from

"Aww crap." Zaeed grunted, "you don't think he…"

KKRUUMMMPPPPPP!

The floor violently vibrated as a massive vibration shook the building. The party maintained their balance. Overhead alarms went off and a fuse sparked a short way down the corridor. Fire suppressant showers in the ceiling activated

The team looked at each other as they were drizzled with water and raced down the path towards the merc leader. They emerged into a storage warehouse. A tall, wide space. Serviced with overhead gantry cranes and stacked high with cargo on either side.

Or at least.. it was.

The team froze.

Storage crates had been hurled from their positions. A crane had been ripped from its mountings and was lying on the floor next to the entrance. The lights were shorting. The walls had buckled outwards under some tremendous force.

Up ahead, there was carnage. Dozens of broken bodies and mechs lay strewn around the floor. Equipment had been sheared off its mountings. The odd ceiling panel fell to the ground with a clang, shaken loose.

"Know my power, petty mortals!" the volus cried out to the room at large from the epicentre of the destruction, "And know your god!"

The volus turned, stumbled, fell face first to the ground and passed out amid the wreckage.

* * *

><p>"This has been one of the strangest fucking operations I've ever worked on." the detective muttered. She threw the operations datapad onto the desk. She looked over to the justicar sitting at the side of the table.<p>

"My people went through the merc's equipment." she grunted, "What was left of it anyway after that Volus wrecked everything. Have never in all my life..." she looked back up, "Your fugitive left two days ago on a ship called the AML Demeter. I hope that satisfies you."

"It does, detective. Thank you. This has been, most interesting." She stood up, "I will leave your custody and your district immediately detective, if that will satisfy your superiors."

"That it will." she leaned back in her chair, "You're free to go, justicar. It's been… an experience."

Samara nodded and turned to Shepard, sitting at the opposite end of the table, "Shepard. I am free to join you on your mission. In the time you were away I took the opportunity to read up on these collectors. They are indeed a great evil. It will be an honour to help you rid the galaxy of them.

"That's good to hear, Samara. The Normandy is docked at the Nos Astra commercial spaceport. I'll see you aboard."

"I must be sworn to your service, so that I am never forced to choose between your orders and the code."

Samara knelt down by the table. She remained perfectly still for a moment, before igniting with biotic energy. She began reciting, "By the code, I will serve you Shepard. your choices are my choices, your morals are my morals. your wishes are my code." Her biotic aura flashed and disappeared.

The detective whistled, "I never thought I'd see a justicar swear an oath like that. Man, that would be extremely handy to just have a justicar swear to follow orders for once."

"If you make me do anything extremely dishonourable, I may need to kill you when I am released from my oath." Samara told Shepard.

Shepard rose from her seat and brought herself up to Samara, slightly unnerved by the veiled threat, "I can see this is a very important act Samara, thank you."

"Truly, the life of a justicar can get lonely. I admit, I am looking forward to serving with a company of honourable heroes."

"I'll see you on the Normandy." Shepard smiled. 'Honourable heroes?' she thought. Just wait until she meets the people she's assembled.


	18. Untapped potential

**Chapter Eighteen: Untapped Potential**

The morning sun of Illium illuminated the Normandy's hangar. The ship sat still, docked secure in the tall space. The hangar was mostly quiet, there wasn't much to do for a ship that was anchored. The port's unseen automated systems quietly measured fuel, temperature and rad contamination from the exhaust.

Only a few dockworkers were scurrying about. Each had their tasks to attend to. It was the start of the morning shift and the disgruntled, sleepy employees filtered into work from all corners of the city.

A worker in a sealed spacedock suit paced along the gantries surrounding the hangar, his pack of equipment slung over his back. He carried his datapad, going through the routine checks for a ship like the Normandy.

It was a strange ship, he thought to himself as he approached the Normandy. There wasn't any known configuration like it. Nor it hadn't come from any shipyard he was familiar with. He'd read up on it of course, as was his job. It had been difficult to get information on it, but he'd managed. This was a more recent design, but the original had been a hybrid of turian and human engineering to produce a specialized stealth/ recon ship.

He got up close to it. Its sleek hull curved over him. SR-2. . .seems that they'd made some modifications to its successor, he summarized. He trod along the walkway parallel to the hull and began the inspection. All ships underwent a routine check for micro fractures or cracks. Overstrained g-turns, flickering barriers, the stress of atmospheric re-entry, even good old wear and tear all caused them. Keeping a tabs on any cracks could mean the difference between life or death.

Here was the place, he thought. He deployed the scanning device on its tripod and began its sequence. It beeped twice in confirmation. Satisfied the instrument was scanning, he pulled another instrument from his bag. It looked like a small roll of transparent film. He placed it on the hull and unraveled it slightly, before cutting the segment off from the main roll. A small patch of the thin, clear film of material was left stuck to the ship's hull. He evened out the creases so that the material was completely invisible to any other observer. He then attached a tiny microchip to the centre of the fabric. It was so small, no-one would see it unless they knew where to look.

Satisfied, the batarian stowed the transparent explosive film back in his equipment bag and continued with his micro fissure inspection.

* * *

><p>Jacob was in armoury, adding modifications to the assault rifles when the door opened. The two humans, Eisenmus and Hakkon stepped through. Jacob didn't pay them any attention until Eisenmus began to climb into his armour undersuit.<p>

"Going somewhere?" he asked, half jokingly.

"Making checks" replied the man. He stepped up into the large boots of the armour as Hakkon installed the armour around him, his mechanical arms swinging through the air. "Hakkon says there may have been damage to several servo motors from our mission on Horizon."

Jacob nodded, "That mission was a nightmare. Still don't know how we made it out of that. My arm still aches."

"I suspect there is more to come." Eisenmus said, more and more armour being added around him. He looked at the magos, "How do the leg pieces look, Hakkon?"

"Armour plating integrity satisfactory. Servo joints satisfactory, praise the Omnissiah."

"Good. Test the torso pieces." the inquisitor commanded. Jacob had turned back to his work, not paying much attention to the great war suit being constructed around the inquisitor.

"As you wish, lord." came the monotonous reply.

* * *

><p>Hayt knelt in supplication before the shrine of the Emperor. The lamps to either side illuminated the Sigil in stark, white light while the rest of the room was dim and small. It served as a beacon for him, giving him purpose in the actions they were about to take.<p>

He reached forward and began to wrap the Sigil within the cloth. Praying to the Emperor as he did so. He stowed it in a solid bag securely fastened by his waist. He stretched out beside him and retrieved his hellgun from the floor.

The inquisitor had reassured him that they would continue searching for a way home. Hayt knew his lord, he had served with him for decades. He was as close to an old friend as the stormtrooper ever had. As a consequence, in the last couple of weeks, he had noticed the changes. The weakening convictions of his words. The looser terminology. The more distant look in his eye when he made promises of returning.

It was becoming clear to Hayt, that a way back to the Imperium was becoming more and more remote each day.

He checked the power level of his weapon. Fully charged.

He found this didn't bother him as much as it should have. He would serve his lord. That was his mission. If that meant protecting Eisenmus in this place as opposed to his homeland, so be it.

He stood up and checked his equipment. He was fully geared in his armour, prepared for the worst should these people not take kindly to their desertion.

"For the Emperor…" he muttered to the empty room. He flicked the safety off of his rifle. He turned with purpose, and exited the room.

* * *

><p>Hakkon had finished installing the armour pieces around the inquisitor. The low murmuring of binary ceased as the magos finished preparing the armour spirits for activation.<p>

"All pieces secure, lord. Machine spirits willing." His mechanical eyes glowed beneath the draped hood and he stepped back from the inquisitor.

The inquisitor nodded. A faint whir started as the microfusion reactor spooled up and with a groan of servos the armour stepped forward. Heavy steps clanged on the floor.

"Looks like it's working pretty well." Jacob remarked, turning away from his own work to admire the armour.

"Indeed." the inquisitor replied stoically. He didn't look at the Cerberus marine. "Hakkon, load the bolter."

"As you command, lord." the magos obliged and began transferring bolt shells he had manufactured into the armour's ammunition storage canisters.

"Huh," Jacob muttered, "You going to do some target practice?." Something here was off, he thought.

The inquisitor looked down to him. The bulky armour frame gave him an extra foot of height. His steely eyes bored into Jacob.

"My retinue and I are about to depart your crew." the inquisitor said flatly. "We are very grateful for your assistance in rescuing us from Charles' Rock."

Jacob paused, unsure what to say, "Is there anywhere in particular you're going?" Jacob said. His comm was near his neck, but he didn't risk going for it. The atmosphere had suddenly turned very sinister.

"You work for Cerberus do you not?" Eisenmus asked.

"I do." Jacob replied.

"As of now, so do we."

"Mr Eisenmus is correct, Mr Taylor." EDI vocalized from her alcove in the armoury wall. "I have received instructions that these three have been reassigned to another Cerberus operation."

Jacob looked round, "EDI? What, why wasn't I told?"

"This has been a recent development Mr Taylor. I only very recently received the update."

"Does Shepard know?" the marine asked, suspecting he already knew the answer.

"No." the inquisitor replied.

"I'm going to tell her.." Jacob said in protest.

"That is fine. She is off ship. We will be gone by the time she returns." A harsh beep sounded from somewhere on the armour.

"The ritual of armament is complete, lord."

"Excellent." the wrist mounted bolter cycled for a second as Jacob saw the disturbingly large shells being drawn into the weapon. The inquisitor turned to him.

"Tell Shepard that we are thankful for the aid she has given us. May the Emperor protect you."

The giant suit turned to the door. The magos followed

"You're making a mistake!" Jacob called from behind. "I haven't known the commander for long, but she's driven. We fought the collectors on Horizon! You were with us! We beat them! We're making a difference where we are! Saving lives, driving them back! Your help and your knowledge could save a thousand lives."

The giant didn't look back. He continued on through the door with the magos trailing behind. The door shut behind them leaving Jacob alone in the armoury. He immediately reached for his comm,

"Commander, it's Jacob. We have a situation on the Normandy."

* * *

><p>Eisenmus strode out of the armoury. He entered the CIC. In front of him, the eldar farseer exited the lift. She looked up at him, and set an intense stare on him for a moment. Her head tilted to one side, as if seeing through him.<p>

"You are about to leave." she said without inflection.

"We are, Farseer." Eisenmus grumbled.

The eldar looked at him, then to the magos beside him. Her eyes narrowed.

"You seek to be with your own kind. You distrust this place. You are frightened by it." The harmonious tone of her voice was now spiked and cautious.

"Frightened?" the inquisitor replied, "No, not frightened. Disappointed. Repelled. These words would be closer."

"You still cling to your dogmatic beliefs." it wasn't a question. Her eyes bored into him, "you refuse to accept that some things...that your seer emperor could be wrong…"

The name of his Emperor spoken with such condensation brought anger welling up in Eisenmus.

"We choose our path Eldar." he choked, "I am surprised you are this concerned about our absence."

"I am not." the farseer replied, "I merely wish to kno… ah…" she nodded in understanding. "I was more correct than I realize."

A small upturn of her corner mouth. A sneer. "You are children, Monkeigh. Clinging to the false truths of your lives in a time that hasn't even heard of them. You are like your nation. Stubborn. Stagnant. Lost. Searching for answers where there are none. Fabricating beliefs to dignify your own ignorance."

Her voice slowed, becoming final, "The universe is changed, human. Your brothers and sisters are dead. Your nation, is dead. Your lord, is dead.

"No." the inquisitor replied flatly. "We carry a fragment of our time. We carry the Emperor's light with us. I believe it was him that saved us from oblivion in the warp. His presence is the reason you're here Eldar." the inquisitor sneered, "like it or not, you owe your current continued existence to the Emperor."

"I owe that seer nothing. Rather, it is you who owe your continued existence to the people of this ship. To those that work with non humans. To those your Emperor would exterminate."

"Means to an end, Eldar. A concept your race mastered long ago." It was not a compliment. "Why do you defend these people? Why do you care what the rest of us lesser species do?"

"I defend them to you, for they may be needed in the future."

His brow furrowed, "Your race is dead as well, Eldar. It was dead in our world , it was only a matter of time...But you've seen something, haven't you?" the inquisitor said, "Why am I not surprised that you did not share this with the only other psyker in this time?"

"The woman of this ship. Spectre Commander Shepard. She has a pivotal role to play in this world. I know not how it will be played, nor when. The only true thing I know is that my place is here. There is something coming, Inquisitor. You have not sensed it, for your powers are laughable, but there is something in the dark...something vast and malicious. The galaxy will weep and scream. Blood will run."

"There is always war, farseer. That is something neither of us are ignorant to."

"This is different. This is total. All consuming. Cold. Clinical."

"My views are unchanged. We are leaving, Eldar."

"I will not stop you. Where you go, is of no concern to me. You betray the one who rescued you, who gave you food and shelter, in favour of those who look inwards in an outward world. You will leave one who may be destined to become great. You do this, because you cannot face the alternative."

She looked directly at him, the inquisitor could almost sense a tinge of warpcraft amplifying the words. Directing them to echo around his mind.

"That you are wrong."

His fist clenched at the intrusion. His armour responded. Cycling a shell into the empty barrel of the storm bolter. He heard the slightly higher whine from Hakkon beside him. The magos must have picked up his elevated vitals.

The inquisitor stared at the farseer. Unblinking, unflinching. He unclenched his fist. "We are leaving, Eldar. Do not follow us."

"I have no intention to."

* * *

><p>"I can't, Shepard." Liara said, regret heavy in her voice.<p>

"Why can't you join us? I could really use someone with your resourcefulness."

"You flatter me, Shepard." she smiled and turned back from her office window. "But I can't. I have commitments here, debts to repay."

"I'm sure we could lend a hand in some 'renegotiations'" Garrus smirked in his seat beside the commander. "You know how persuasive Shepard can be."

"Cheers Garrus." came the sardonic response from the commander.

Liara smiled, "Thank you, but no. These debts are mine." She hesitated for a second mad glanced to one side. "Actually, there is something I need help with Shepard. Something delicate." she looked to both her guests.

"Always, Liara. "

"You can count on us." Garrus agreed.

Liara smiled, "Thank you, as I said, this is a delicate matter. I need someone I can trust. Someone from outside Illium." she sat back down in her desk chair and leaned forward. Closer to her guests. "I need someone with hacking expertise, someone trustworthy. If you could disable security at key points around Illium, you could get me the information I need." she looked at the commander. "This would help me a great deal, Shepard."

"What's this about? Why can't you tell me?"

"Don't you think I want to? This is Illium, Shepard. Everything I say is probably being recorded."

Shepard glanced around the room unconsciously, "Even here? In the private office of an information broker?"

"Especially here. Every hub, nexus or outlet of information in this city is being tapped by someone."

"Even the docks?" Garrus asked, Liara turned to him. The turian shrugged. "Relatively quiet, out of the way, loud machinery… and we happen to have a ship specializing in stealth operations."

Both women were looking at him. "What? You don't just bring me along for my charming good looks, Shepard."

"The docklands. Yes." Liara was nodding. "Yes.. the Normandy's shielding would provide enough interference even if the hangar was being monitored." she looked up again, a new light her eye. "As soon as I finish this evening, I will meet you on the Normandy. We'll talk there. Yes. That is.. if that's acceptable."

"Absolutely, you're welcome anytime."

"Thank you Shepard! You won't be disappointed" A sense of relief was apparent on the asari's face.

A beep went off on Shepard's omnitool. It was Jacob.

"Jacob. It's Shepard, go ahead."

"Commander, it's Jacob. We have a situation on the Normandy."

* * *

><p>The trio strode through the streets of Nos Astra. Even out here on the edge of the terminus systems, they stood out.<p>

The thoroughfare was wide. Several dozen air cars were parked down the central lane of the street. The pedestrians scuttled about over wide pavements bordering the buildings to either side. They avoided the inquisitor's suit. It towered over everybody that wasn't a krogan. Its servos making a rhythmic hissing as he walked.

Hakkon, more machine than man at this point, and with the appearance more resembling a robed humanoid insect attracted a lot of attention. Hayt, a relatively normal looking human, albeit one in stormtrooper armour, trailed almost unnoticed behind them.

The trio ignored the stares and murmuring that followed them.

"Which direction?" Eisenmus asked Hakkon as the group approached a street intersection.

"Right. Then half a mile, lord." A salarian stared at him as he spoke, pausing the conversation it was having over its comm device.

The inquisitor nodded and the group continued on following the directions they had been given. He had had reservations about the AI, but it proved to follow the Illusive man's commands and let them out without protest.

Yet another reason not to trust AI, he thought. Even when shackled, you never know who its true master may be.

They continued up the street without interference, aside from a group of asari hastily parting before the group.

"Here." the magos stated. The trio stopped. They stood.

"What now?" the stormtrooper asked, he held his weapon close to his chest, attracting concerned looks from passers by.

"Now we wait." the inquisitor replied. The stormtrooper nodded, accepting.

They waited for several minutes, unsure of their next move. The trio was wary. There were attracting a lot of stares.

A human male emerged from one of the entrances behind them. Tall and blond, he turned and approached the group.

"Outsider?" he said, addressing them.

"Just guests." replied the inquisitor, completing the countersign for their contact.

The man visibly relaxed. "Very good. I'm Iowan. Not sure why the signs were necessary, don't think I could have mistaken anyone for you lot." he gestured. "Follow me. I have transportation waiting."

* * *

><p>"What?!" Shepard asked. "They just left?" She looked out of the aircar onto the dazzling building screaming past. Garrus was at the helm of the car. Autopilot disengaged and maneuvering expertly through the dense traffic.<p>

"The inquisitor was suited in his amour with his weapon loaded. I'm not stupid, I know the capabilities of that suit." the marine replied from the Normandy.

"Are they still on the ship?" She asked. A car shot by the viewscreen. An angry horn sounded from behind them.

"No commander, somehow they had EDI was on their side, 'Orders from Cerberus', she said. Do you know anything about that?"

"No. No I don't." Shepard growled into the comm. She was going to have a very interesting and loud conversation with the Illusive man when she got back to the ship.

"Where are they now?"

"Don't know. They left the ship and called a cab at the nearest taxi pedestal. We tried to follow them but the car got lost in the maze of traffic. EDI's still refusing to track them."

"If I can't have control over my OWN SHIP on my own mission!. . ." she started and regained her composure. "Alright, Garrus and I are on our way back now. Maybe we can clear up this whole mess."

The air car skidded through the air towards the closest car pedestal at the spaceport district. The duo disembarked the cab and rushed into the transport terminal building.

* * *

><p>DANGER! DESTRUCTION! BETRAYAL!<p>

The pure, unfiltered feeling surged through Glaedara. She gasped at the force of it. A great conflagration. Burning. Screaming!

She leapt up from her seated position in her quarters and ran to the door. She had only moments to spare.

They were all in great danger!

* * *

><p>"Joker, is the Normandy prepped to take off?" Shepard asked to the comm.<p>

"She's ready to fly, commander. Just waiting for you."

They swept through the terminal to the hangar. The corridors and boarding lobbies flashed by. They entered the wide, cavernous space with the Normandy held fast in the docking clamps.

They hurried across the boarding platform. The Normandy was in sight.

Then, from the outer airlock of the ship, a figure was running towards them.

Glaedara! She was armourless and wearing only the simple clothes they had found for her. She noticed the party running towards her, but instead of continuing, she turned sharply and leapt.

Leapt! Off the boarding platform!

Shepard called out to her instinctively. But the eldar was gone. She had jumped cleanly off the side of the platform, with the hangar floor over a hundred metres below.

* * *

><p>Before the lift doors had opened, Glaedara had shot out of the lift. Kelly chambers was sent reeling to the ground in her wake. Glaedara had paid no heed. She sprinted up towards the front of the ship.<p>

The airlock! No time to ask the ship's computer. With a wave of her hand, she forced the door of the airlock open. An alarm went off overhead. Someone was shouting. She didn't care. She threw open the outer airlock with a similar gesture. Tiny sparks of psychic residue coursed over her fingers.

She bolted out onto the landing platform. The platform was situated midway between the hangar floor and roof. The hangar floor was littered with machinery and equipment. She couldn't guess the purpose of them.

No time! She turned and flipped off the side of the platform. Feeling the rush of air as she fell, free fall, towards the metal deck. Over the rush of air, she heard someone call her name.

Thump!

She landed on a large rectangular piece of machinery. It was vast, covering almost a quarter of the floor. She couldn't guess its function. She didn't care. The kinetic energy of her landing was blasted outwards in a blue white arc of psychic energy. A machine to her right began smoking.

* * *

><p>"There's something you don't see everyday." Garrus commented beside Shepard at the edge of the landing platform.<p>

Shepard herself was stunned. She had seen her perform some impressive feats on Horizon but this should have been impossible. Maybe a biotic could have glided, but she had hit the floor at full speed...barefoot!

Se could only just make out the figure below. Some kind of lighting flashed where she had landed. Her hand went up to her ear,

"Glaeda…"

KKAAARUUMPPPP!

An explosion knocked the air out of her lungs. A flash of blinding light erupted from the Normandy, followed by a noise that shook the platform they stood on. She was sent sprawling back up the boarding platform. She landed hard, with a clatter of weapons and equipment.

The flash died, replaced by a rising plume of smoke coming from the Normandy's mid-section.

"Shit! Shepard!" Joker's voice was yelling in her ear, "There's been an explosion on the mid ship hull. Deck 3."

Shepard lay on the floor, momentarily dazed by the shockwave. She looked at the rising plume of smoke coming from the Normandy.

She snapped back to full alertness. "Damage?" Shepard scrambled to her feet. She saw Garrus nearby doing the same. He was unhurt. She raced towards the stricken ship.

"Don't know yet. Give m...mee... " Joker's voice trailed off to static.

"Joker? Joker come in!" Nothing, just static.

"It's all our comms!" Garrus yelled from behind her. "We're being jammed!"

* * *

><p>The vibration shook through her. Glaedara looked back up from her landing. She saw the underside of the Normandy overhead. Its great bulk hung above. A blast had erupted in the side of the vessel. Pieces of metal and fragments of hull began peppering the ground around her.<p>

She focused. She delved into the warp. She felt its power course through her. In her hands, Behind her eyes. She felt the energies fll her. She opened her eyes. Now pure white from built up psychic energy. Flashes of lightning discharge flickered around her, arcing off the metal of the floor and pieces of machinery.

A terrific squeal of tortured static electricity sounded from overhead. She saw, as she had seen in her mind's eye only moments before, the great clamps that held the ship in place disengage. The pale blue aura of their grappling surfaces go out.

The great mass of the Normandy, caught by gravity, immediately fell.

Her hands outreached upwards. She breathed once, and shot out with her mind.

A terrific force of energy shot upwards, creating an updraft of displaced air. Her clothes flapped against the force of air. The energy spread out and engulfed the ship. She willed it to hold. The falling ship slowed with a groan of strained metal... then stopped. It sat, mid fall, drifting precariously. The weight of the entire ship balanced knife-like between the force of gravity and the will of the farseer.

But still it fell. It descended slowly, as if sinking in thick, viscous mud.

Glaedara screamed under the strain. The flow of energy was excruciating, threatening to tear her apart. Her entire being was now a conduit for incomprehensible volumes of power. It flowed like a torrent. On her. Through her. It was deafening.

A small voice appeared in her ear, almost drowned out by the torrents of energy pouring over her.

"Glaedara? Are you alright? Ho-" it was Shepard. The farseer pictured the woman in her head, and with an agonizing shout, mentally called out to her.

"Activate the clamps!" her tortured mind screamed. "The workers will betray you!"

* * *

><p>A blast of energy filled Shepard's head and she staggered. She briefly lost her sense of balance. She heard the farseer in her head. It was as clear as if she was standing beside her. Accompanying the words were images. Images that conveyed concepts alone. Lying. Betrayal. Treachery.<p>

Shepard knew. She didn't know how, it flew in the face of all logic and sense, but her mind recognized these things as a genuine communication from the farseer.

She had just enough time to understand the images being blasted to her, when she saw a dozen dockworkers, clad in work suits and carrying fire suppressant gear, sprinting towards the ship.

Too quick! She thought. Her mind having a moment of clarity,. They were too quick. They would have had to have been ready with their fire equipment well before the explosion struck…

"Garrus! Contacts incoming!" she yelled to her companion. "We got company! The crews!"

Garrus turned, confused but with his rifle drawn and ready. She dived behind the detritus littering the platform and trained her own rifle on the oncoming repair crews.

They must have sensed they had been discovered. A couple opened fire on her, bringing weapons out of their baggy work suits and equipment containers.

"Son of a…" she heard Garrus curse as his shields flared in the last second before he got to cover. Shots pinged off their makeshift positions. They were trapped on the boarding platform.

The workers scattered, Shepard returned fire on one. She saw the flash of kinetic barriers light up over them. They came expecting this, she thought. She tried her comm again, no luck. She was cut off from what was happening on the Normandy. She risked a glance back. The smoke was coalescing under the hangar roof, spiraling and spreading outwards in a rolling blanket.

The Normandy hung, impossibly, in space. Her mind reeled. An entire frigate! The woman was holding up an entire frigate!

A ping of a nearby shot brought her back to the fight. She retaliated. A pinpoint shot piercing through on of the worker's shields and took him down through the head.

She risked a glance back. Everyone else was on that ship! If it fell…

The clamps! She remembered suddenly, looking above her. The great mechanical arms ended in circular pads loomed over head. They were deactivated.

A crackle sound in her ear. Something through the static of the interference.

"Shepard, Shepard can you hear me? the mechanical voice of EDI sounded over the comm.

"EDI, this is Shepard. I hear you." she replied. Letting off another salvo to the enemy to keep them pinned.

"Shepard. I was able to break through the jamming signal. I.."

Shepard cut her off. "EDI, can you reactivate the docking clamps of this hangar?"

A pause. The gunfire continued around her. She saw another shield flash on Garrus before she dived back into cover.

"Apologizes Shepard. The port authority network is close circuited to prevent outside interference. I will need to interface directly with one of their systems." another pause. "If you can link me with the this hangar's control station. I will be able to access their network."

It was hard to hear over the sound of the firefight taking place around her. "How do I do that EDI?" she asked.

A blip appeared on her HUD. A position above her. She looked up. It was a series of linear observation rooms built into the side of the hangar. Wide windows looked out onto the rest of the space.

She looked around again for access. At the far end there were stairs leading up the side of the wall to the top gantry level.

There, she thought, that's her way up. There was just the small matter of getting off this exposed platform.

Which brought another up another question. One she hadn't had time to consider until now.

Who the hell were these people?

* * *

><p>Glaedara squinted upwards. Her head rebelled against such use of power. The ship was still sinking. Its vast bulk was only a few dozen metres over her head.<p>

She couldn't move. Any break in the flow of power would ruin everything, the ship would come crashing down and ignite in the fireball she had seen in her vision. If she remained where she was, the ship was going to slowly crush her beneath its bulk.

Desperation crept into the back corners of her mind. Unwelcome ideas, fueled by self preservation, gnawed at her consciousness.

No! She wouldn't!

She was going to die…

It was not worth the risk!

You have felt no enemy here…

Doubt mixed with desperation. A way out. A treacherous gamble.

You have felt no enemy here…

The risk!

Do you wish to die here?...

No! She cried in protest. Rebelling at her own voice. The hulking ship was closer now. Tiny details of the hull were clear to her. She could see the hatches, the access panels. The trails of scorched material from reentry.

There was no pull from she who thirsts. Every time she touched the warp it was still and lifeless. A deathly silent and calm sea of power, untapped and uninhabited

Risk, or die.

No! She gritted her teeth. I will not die here! Slowly, cautiously, she peeled back the defensive barriers around her mind. opening herself more and more to the empyrean. More power flowed and flowed more freely. Not contained by the rigid corridors and paths of her mental structures, she found it easier to channel. it was…

Terrifying..exhilarating.

The ship hovered unsteadily above her. Waves upon waves of psychic energy flowed from her figure. Electricity arced in a pattern around her. The machine she stood on sparked.

Not enough! Not Enough!

She needed the ship to rise, or she was dead.

She pulled back more layers of protection, more safeguards against the great ocean were cast aside.

More. More power flowed.

The pain had eased. She had never handled this much power. She held in her hands the weight of a starship.

Slowly. Inexorably. With the screech of metal put under immense strain. The ship began to rise. The pressure behind Glaedara's eyes was intense. She could barely see. She saw with her mind, and even then it was half into that swirling abyss of anti-logic.

* * *

><p>With combat implants flaring, Shepard leapt up the side of a tall crate. She hauled herself on top of it. She dispatched the enemy hiding behind it below, a brief look of surprise on his face as she aimed her weapon down from above.<p>

The world still going in slow motion, she leapt down before she drew fire and crouched behind another. She dispatched a turian who had foolishly taken a peek out of cover. These people had shields, but they appeared to be cheap, civilian models. Not much use in a real firefight.

There were a couple of targets left on this level, an asari and a salarian. Another up near the control room. The rest had been dispatched or had fled. Whoever these people were, they hadn't come expecting resistance like this.

She requested covering fire from Garrus and the turian behind her obliged. Loud, quick shots echoed through the space from his rifle.

She was at the man's cover as the last shot sounded. She rounded the corner, completely surprising him. Before he could speak, she shot him in the chest. His shields collapsed instantly. Thick puffs of red exploded from the man's back. He fell with a whimper.

A shot sounded in the hangar.

"Scratch one more." a voice called out over the din. It sounded like a hurricane in here. Shepard didn't know how the farser was doing what she was doing, but the Normandy had almost risen back up to the boarding platform level. Smoke still poured from the middle of the ship as it swayed uncomfortably in the air.

"Hostiles clear this level!" she commed. "Garrus move up. Follow me."

"You got it, Shepard." the turian replied.

She sprinted towards the access stairs, joined soon by the turian. The pair of them made their way up, each covering the other with each flight.

They emerged to the top uncontested. They approached a linear series of rooms. The rooms ran almost the entirety of the length of the hangar, each with a large rectangular observation window onto the main space.

They readied off and the pair advanced slowly through, checking each room for ambushers.

At the third room, an asari jumped them as they entered. She swiped at Shepard's head with the butt of her rifle. Shepard managed to twist just in time and took it in the shoulder. She lost purchase and stumbled, but Garrus was on her aggressor. The turian dealt blow after blow to the asari. Each blow with an accompanying grunt of pain. Finally knocking the asari to the floor with a heavy blow to the forehead.

"That all of them?" he asked.

"Should be," she replied. She was breathing heavily, the combat implants taking their toll on her system. "Thanks, by the way."

"You know me, always there at the right time," he grinned. "Let's find these controls."

Both human and turian thundered into the main control room. The door had been locked, but a few well placed shots from her rifle had sorted that out.

"There!" she said. Running to the main terminal that extended across the observation side of the room. She hunted for a connection port. Found one, and interfaced her omnitool with it.

"EDI, I've interfaced the omnitool with the control terminal, can you get in?"

"Accessing port authority systems… Unlocking clamp controls…" the mechanical voice replied.

To either side of where she stood, the clamps extended. The great discs of energy headed out over the empty space. She looked in front of her. The Normandy was directly ahead. The air below it fizzed and crackled. It looked distorted, like a heat haze.

She commed the farseer. "Activating the clamps now! Hold in there Glaedara!"

"I take back what I said earlier." Garrus said, and gestured out into the hangar, "Now that's something you don't see everyday…" he said, transfixed by the hovering frigate.

* * *

><p>The merest flailing fragment of her defences remained as she lifted the Normandy the final few metres. She may have been screaming as she did so, she couldn't hear over the roar. Her clothes were blackened and scorched, tatters of burnt fabric flapped around her.<p>

The voice returned to her ear. It was the tiniest whisper over the roaring torrents.

"Activating the clamps now! Hold in there Glaedara!"

Through eyes crackling with power and burning of ozone, Glaedara saw the large mechanical clamps above extend slowly towards the stricken ship. She held on as they glowed with energy and they grabbed the ship.

"Glaedara, the ship's secure. You can stop."

With will that sucked the air from her lungs she withdrew back from the abyss and collapsed, unconscious, onto the sparking metal machinery. Her hands covered in burns and smoke trailing from her ruined clothes.

* * *

><p>A batarian paced the uppermost gantry of the hangar. Far removed from any of the action, he had watched the firefight taking place on the opposing side of the gulf. Frustration and anger filled him.<p>

He'd been betrayed.

Somebody had tipped Shepard off about his attack. They had immediately turned and trained their weapons on his disguised repair crews. She must have known about them in advance.

Which was why she wasn't dead yet.

It was supposed to look like a random gang attack. That had been the plan at any rate. An opportunistic raid by a group who had somehow got their hands on some documents showing that one particular ship docked contained a vast sum of credits...

Braille grunted and grabbed his high powered sniper rifle from the decking beside him, loaded with custom shield cracker modded rounds. All pretense of subtlety gone.

"If you want something done right..." he lined up the woman's head in his scope.

* * *

><p>Another figure, unseen and unnoticed by all, watched the batarian grab his rifle. The figure remained still in his vantage point. Here, hidden in the narrow maintenance ledge that ran the perimeter of the hangar, the figure had watched the events unfold.<p>

He'd followed Shepard since she met the asari Justicar. That had intrigued him. He'd kept his distance. He wanted to know kind of person this human was.

Her dialogue with the Justicar had been most revealing. She was on a mission, one of great significance. This human was already well known from the many vid feeds of the human colony Horizon. Before that there was the esteemed honour of saving the citadel from the geth attack two years ago. The batarian below risked all that, he was about to snuff out her life before her next great work was finished.

He dropped to the gantry. The batarian fired.

* * *

><p>Shepard felt something impact her. Like someone had punched her in the chest armour. No one was around. There were no enemies in sight. She looked down, her chest armour was cracked and splintered. A gaping hole in it, blood was flowing out. Red streaked over her dark grey chestpiece.<p>

"I've been shot." she managed to speak to herself, more in disbelief than anything. She tried to yell out, but her voice failed her. Her vision began to blur.

Medigel. . .she thought. The medigel...

She felt an impact against her side. She released she was on the floor, she tried to get to the medigel dispenser on her omnitool but she couldn't bring her left arm round. It felt wet. Grimly she realized why. Pain flared up in the arm as she realized it had been hit too.

She looked up and around the control room. She saw Garrus kneeling over her, yelling something.

* * *

><p>"SHIT!" Braille swore as the shot hit the woman's torso. Someone was with him up here. Someone had shaken the gantry at the wrong moment. He turned, bringing the heavy rifle round.<p>

A drell was coming towards him. He fired. The drell had moved. He fired again, and again. The drell was close now. He dropped the rifle and whipped his pistol up. Angry barks of gunfire sounded out. The drell was quick. He couldn't get a bead on him.

Suddenly he was on him.

Braille blocked a blow to his head and parried a second to his crotch. He replied with a jab to the side but the drell spun away. He just managed to duck as the drell's leg went over him, where his head had been moments before.

The two exchanged blow after blow, in almost complete silence, while the firefight still raged below.

Whoever this drell was, he was really good, he thought as he leapt back from another lightning blow that would have winded him.

A brief breather set in as the two had detached slightly. Braille had the time to bring out a knife from its holster on his leg.

"Who are you?" he asked his assailant.

"Someone with an interest in the one you want dead." the drell replied.

"You gonna elaborate?"

"No."

Braille sighed. "Suit yourself." he said and rushed back to engage the drell. Who dropped into a fighting stance.

* * *

><p>Crew spilled out of the Normandy onto the platform. Miranda had issued the evacuation order after the blast. The ship was damaged, parts of the hull still smoked.<p>

The members of Shepard's team had been the first out, they'd heard the firefight raging over the comm. They were to secure the area for the civilian crew to follow.

The rest emerged afterwards. The area quickly filling up. The bodies of the dead and dying ambushers were still lying on the deck. The crew studied them anxiously and gave them a wide berth.

"Acknowledged Garrus." Miranda responded, limping out of the ship with the help of her cane. She switched channels. "Mordin. Escort Dr Chakwas to the observation rooms above our position. Shepard needs medical attention."

"Yes, Ms Lawson," came the curt reply from the salarian. She saw him just emerge from the Normandy hatch behind her. His eyes quickly scanned the scene in front of him.

Miranda looked back round at the milling crew. Out of the ship, they aimed about with no direction.

"Don't just stand here!" she yelled to those around her. "Get away from the ship! Move!" They began to move.

With the crew on the move, she turned her attention to those members of Shepard's team that surrounded her.

"Jacob, Zaeed. Cover the entrances to the left of the boarding ramp. Okeer, Grunt, take the ones to the right."

Acknowledgements echoed back to her.

"Kasumi, Jack, guard the crew."

Another acknowledgement and a snide comment filtered back. The last remnants of the crew were leaving. She saw Gardner support Joker through the hatch. The pilot limped with each step. Complaining incessantly.

"EDI, is there anyone else on the ship?"

"I detect no life signs on board, Ms Lawson."

Then the question that Miranda had been putting off. "Did anyone not make it out EDI?"

"I detect three bodies on board. Crewman Matthews, Crewman Rheem and Crewman Reis. I am sorry, Ms Lawson."

"Dammit..." she muttered. She looked back at the ship. Much of the smoke had cleared. An ugly gash had appeared along the mid section of the ship. It didn't look that big from where she stood, but she recognized the real extent of the damage would be on the interior. God knows what the rooms look like underneath all that.

Deck 3... she thought, crew quarters. She shook her head, trying to bring herself back to the moment. Nothing could be done for them now. She gripped her cane and began making her way towards the perimeter of the hangar.

* * *

><p>Braille's jaw ached. He spat out a globule of blood onto the gantry. His knee was ruined, he hobbled to the side. Knife still at the ready. His head pounded with pain from the blows and he couldn't properly see through one eye.<p>

The drell in front of him swam into focus. He was standing off, watching Braille.

"Come on then, you bastard!" Braille spat out between painful breaths, "What the hell are you waiting for?"

The drell looked at him, not saying anything. He stepped closer, Braille swiped defensively. The drell caught his hand and twisted.

A cry of pain issued from Braille as his knife went spinning across and over the edge of the gantry. He looked up for a moment and saw the drell looking at him, accusing him.

Suddenly the drell's fist came up and everything went black.

The bounty hunter's body slumped onto the decking. He would be fine, only mild concussion, Thane thought.

He turned away from the body and looked out across the hangar. Far below, on the other side was 6 or 7 figures, an eclectic mix of races and profiles. All were armed, and all were co-ordinated.

Looking for this one, he thought. Thane glanced back at the body of Braille on the floor. He grabbed the railing and watched the smoke from the ship rise and swirl near the roof space. His keen vision picked out more incoming figures coming in from other entrances. Nos Astra security, he observed.

"Quite a mess." Thane said to himself. He hauled the limp body of the mercenary over his shoulder and began his descent towards those gathered below. He had seen enough. He decided he would talk to the human that had sought him out.

* * *

><p>In the deep blackness of space, a single, small interplanetary cargo sloop drifted gracefully towards a much larger corvette. The corvette was bulky and angular. Almost looking like it was constructed around its prow mounted gun and rear engines. The ship slowed to a crawl as the two neared. A boarding tunnel extended from the larger ship, connecting the two through a tenuous umbilical link.<p>

The airlock of the sloop clanged open. The hiss of normalizing pressure issued through the gap. Eisenmus, Hakkon and Hayt stepped out into the boarding tunnel and made their way across to the much larger vessel. Vapour in the air condensed on the walls and floor, still cold with their recent exposure to the vacuum.

As the trio approached the door of the larger vessel it opened. A human stepped out into the tunnel to meet them.

He stood tall, with a crisp white uniform that screamed military. His eyes were sharp and scrutinized the newcomers intensely.

"I am Operative Petrovsky." he said, his voice clear and confident. "I've been attached to your company and to cooperate with you in any way I can."

The inquisitor nodded his head, "I am Eisenmus. My colleagues Hakkon and Hayt, as I'm sure you know." he replied. "You are the Illusive man's agent?"

The man's neatly trimmed goatee bristled, "I am. If you'll follow me, we can begin the orientation."

He nodded again, "Please, lead on." making a gesture with his large gauntlet. The operative nodded returned the nod and turned to made his way back into the interior of the ship. The trio of imperials followed close behind.


	19. Grounded

**Chapter Nineteen: Grounded**

The street was wide and busy. Aircars followed their predetermined paths along set altitudes. Hundreds of passers by flocked along the main street. The street paved and clean. The buildings, glass fronted and elegant. A VI holo-news pedestal, ignored by everyone, played the most recent stories fed to it by the major news consortiums that broadcast throughout the city.

"In other news, several mercenary groups operating in the vicinity have denied responsibility for the attacks on Nos Astra spaceport. A spokesperson for the eclipse mercenary organisation told our reporters that any attacks on the spaceport are considered bad for business and not carried out. He admits that he has no idea who may be behind the recent attack but adamantly denies any role in the incident.

Nos Astra port authorities have confirmed the death toll from the attack has reached 24, but it refusing to answer any other questions on the matter. The Nos Astra port authority repeats its earlier statement that the spaceport is now once again open and safe for transport. This attack comes only days after a firefight through the still under construction Dantius Towers that resulted in the deaths of 23 mercenaries affiliated with the Eclipse mercenary group and the death of Nasana Dantius herself.

The inner city regional council will be implementing an inquiry into… " it continued on throughout the day, projecting its stories to an uncaring audience.

* * *

><p>"Just tell me." Miranda growled at the pair of engineers sitting in front of her, "And without any superfluous jargon. How… Long?"<p>

The two Normandy engineering officers fidgeted in their seats. Neither had the courage to meet their XOs piercing stare.

"Go on Kenneth, tell her." One said to the other.

"You tell her!" The man replied. "You're propulsion, Gabby. I'm just the power…"

Miranda slapped a palm on the table. The pair of them shut up. "Enough. Engineer Donnelly. How long will it take for the ship to be repaired?" The XO barked.

"Uhh, well, after speaking to the local repair crews.. Well, this is all estimation you understand. They say it'll take three weeks, maybe a month to get the Normandy space worthy again."

The pair of them sat very still, not wanting to do or say anything in front of Miranda at that moment. The spartan room seemed very small at that moment.

"Ok." Miranda said, very calmly. "Now, explain to me why it's going to take so long?" Her eyes pierced into the man.

"Er, Ma'am?" Engineer Gabriella Daniels uttered. Miranda's eyes shifted slowly across to the woman.

"The explosion ruptured all the port coolant lines just as the ship was powering up to take off. We have to do a full engine flush. There's no telling what got sucked into the engine in the explosion. The Normandy's hull wasn't designed for easy repair either. It's… well it's one of a kind. We'll have to replace many of the port hull segments. They're specialized pieces, Ma'am. We're going to have to requisition them from Cerberus itself. They're the only ones with the specifications for this ship."

Miranda's gaze settled on the woman before nodding. "Thank you for clearing this up." Her voice carefully calm. "You are both dismissed."

"Yes Ma'am!" The pair replied. Relief evident on their faces. They practically rushed out of the room.

Miranda buried her head in her hands after the door closed. A month… They might be stuck on this planet for a month. They couldn't even set foot on the Normandy itself for another couple of days while they decontaminated the ship. The damaged main drive had flooded much of the interior with radiation before the teams could put out the fire and contain the damage.

She collected her datapads from the desk. She would collate the data later. She didn't have time at the moment.

She grabbed her assistance cane and with a considerable effort hoisted herself to her feet. Her injury flared at her hip. It was getting worse, she thought, but she couldn't do anything about it now. The very success of the entire mission depended on her at the moment, she wasn't going to let a minor injury get in the way of that.

Her makeshift office exited onto the second floor of a long, atrium that extended far off to the right. In front of her was a glass facade, fully three storeys high that looked out onto the towering vista of Nos Astra. She turned to leave the atrium, passing under a banner that hung the width of the room.

University of Nos Astra Medical Centre, her translator told her it read. The whole building around her was part of their medical campus.

She exited the empty atrium and walked down a corridor towards the living areas.

After the attack, they'd rushed the Commander here. The medical facilities on the Normandy were not an option. This was the closest place with the equipment available to help her. They'd cleared out the entire section for security purposes and housed the Normandy crew in the unused living quarters. The faculty staff had protested vehemently and threatened to call the local security forces. They had been quickly been strong armed into accepting the new arrivals. Miranda didn't think even the most stubborn members of an academic faculty would stand up to the demands of a Council Spectre and an asari Justicar sworn to the Spectre's service.

She approached the door leading to the Normandy crew areas. A couple of the crew stood guard at the door. They wore their marine armour and carried rifles across their chests. They were a crew from Cerberus trapped on an asari world, precautions were necessary. The pair saluted her as she passed them, her cane rapping on the floor with every other step.

A crew without a ship was a strange thing, Miranda had come to realize over the last few days. They were disembodied, almost scattered. Those that could help in the repairs of the Normandy were over in the spaceport, several of the medical staff were over in the labs assisting Mordin, Okeer and Chakwas anyway they could in helping Shepard. The rest though, were almost in limbo. Unable to do anything immediately meaningful until the ship was repaired.

"Ma'am?" The all too familiar voice of recent days called in her ear. It sounded strained.

"I'm here, Jacob." She replied into her comm. "What is it?"

"It's Miss T'soni. She says she has a lead on the attacker." Several of the syllables blurred into each other. It was clear from only hearing his voice that the man was exhausted.

She wasn't surprised. Along with Yeoman Chambers, he'd taken responsibility of co-ordinating all of the crew communications. With most of EDI's systems taken offline along with the Normandy, it fell upon them the role of co-ordinating and ensuring the scattered remnants of the Normandy's crew were still able to talk to each other.

"Thank you Jacob. Tell Garrus to meet me at the aircar terminal. He knows her. He'll be good to bring along." She paused. "And get some rest. You sound exhausted."

"Maybe later. I've just had another cup of coffee, so I'm going to be up for the next few hours anyway. I'll tell Garrus for you."

The call ended. Her other tasks would have to wait. She began to head in the direction of the aircar terminal.

* * *

><p>"Who was it?" She asked Liara. She sat with Garrus in the asari's office.<p>

"A bounty hunter called Braille." Liara replied. Her voice was slow and calm. "He arrived some time ago, the information came through my office…" the asari looked distant. "I should have seen this. How did this bounty hunter manage to slip onto Nos Astra unnoticed until now?." Her tone grew and grew in anger.

"That's ancillary at this point." Miranda said. She was in no mood to hear whatever laments this asari had to give her. It was up to her to keep the crew together while the commander got back on her feet. "What info do you have on this man, besides his name?" Her irritation may have bled through in her tone.

"He arrived some time ago in Nos Astra on a small ship," she reached over and retrieved a datapad. She scanned its contents. "A ship called the 'Langdved". It used one of the overspill port areas out on the outskirts of the city. I doubt it's still there."

Liara looked at her. "I may have something useful however. Braille was in the employ of a notable batarian baron, Baron Von Barc. He governs a large swathe of space bordering the edge of the Terminus systems."

"Is there any connection that we know of to the Commander?" She asked Liara.

"Nothing yet," she replied, "I will keep digging though."

"Somethings not right. Why would a batarian baron get so pissed off at a Council Spectre that he'd send a hitman?" Garrus mused.

"I don't know." she replied. She wrung her hands. "However, believe me when I say I will get to the bottom of this." she looked at both of them. "I will find out what's going on!"

"Last time you dug too deep we found you trapped in a forcefield on Therum." Garrus quipped.

"You don't have to worry about me, Garrus." she replied, "It's this baron you should feel sorry for. When I'm through…"

"Calm down, Liara. The Baron will get what's coming to him. We need to focus on getting back up to strength. Make sure we're ready. Then, we go after this Von Barc" the turian said.

"The council will crucify him anyway." Miranda dismissed. "They always get jittery when someone takes a shot at one of their own. If you can get me the vid logs from that hangar showing the attack. The Baron won't be a problem anymore."

Liara nodded. "I'll get those for you... How is she?"

"She's healing well. Still out of it for the most part. But the treatment is progressing well. Better than we expected to be honest."

"That's good to hear. Let me know as soon as she wakes up."

"Wouldn't think of doing anything different, Liara." Garrus replied.

* * *

><p>Pain and blackness.<p>

So much pain

He could barely make out his attacker anymore

"Anythin' else you'd like to add?" the voice asked.

Braille tried to reply, but he could only cough.

"Sorry? Didn't catch that!" said the voice. Followed by another kick to the stomach.

Braille, winded, coughed up the rest of the air in his lungs.

This continued for ten more minutes, or was it hours? Braille couldn't tell anymore.

Finally, mercifully, the voice grew exasperated and sat back down in its chair.

"I get it you know? I do, you're just the mercenary, the triggerman, no different from me ownsome really." the figure leaned forward in his chair.

"But you had to go after Shepard. You go after Shepard, you go after me!"

Braille spat out some blood, "What are you, fucking the bitch or something?"

The figure was still. Very still. And very quiet.

The figure shifted in the chair, "I turned seventy four a couple of weeks back." the figure said, its voice carefully level.

Braille was silent.

"A fucking long time ago. I met a woman. Beautiful, with an attitude even I couldn't keep up with. Didn't work out in the end. Messy. Out of everything since, all the work? Nah, nothing compares to those green eyes of hers."

The figure stood up from his seat.

"I regret a lot things Braille. Christ, do I regret a lot of things. But the one thing I don't regret is lying in a goddamned hospital with tubes in her nose."

Braille felt his head being jerked upwards. A hideously scarred face was inches from his.

"I don't care about who your employer, or what your fucking mission was. . .Not now at least, but don't worry, they'll be next." Zaeed Massani growled as he clutched the face of the broken bounty hunter up to him.

"You went after my little girl" he released Braille's head. He stood over the bound batarian and pulled his pistol from the small of his back and aimed it at Braille's head, "What kind of a fucking father would I be if I let you live?"

* * *

><p>The only sounds in the room was the low hum of machinery and the intermittent beeps of the life support machines. The prone body of the Commander lay on one of the beds, instruments plugged into her, sustaining her life.<p>

Miranda stood, she watched the commander for a brief moment from behind a clear glass screen. It bisected the clean, white room. Separating the patient from the rest of the facility operations.

"How is she?" Miranda asked behind the glass observation wall. Okeer and Mordin were working on machines beside her.

"Condition still unstable. Have been able to stop majority of internal bleeding. Several areas still problematic." The salarian responded.

The salarian and the krogan were with her. They had commandeered a section of the Nos Astra University Medical research Centre. It had been the closest facility with the equipment needed to stabilize the commander. Several guards from the Normandy crew were stationed outside, preventing anyone else from accessing the room.

University and Nos Astra security services had raised objections, but they'd been overruled by the Commander's spectre status. No-one wanted to be the one responsible for the potential death of a Council Spectre.

"Will she make it?" She asked the pair with her.

"Unsure. Too early to tell. Need more data." The salarian replied. His fingers flickered over the controls of his console.

Miranda put her hand up to the glass. she leaned heavily on her support cane. She looked at the still figure of the commander. "Is there anything else that can be done?"

The salarian hesitated. "Not for sure." he replied.

"That, is a lie." Okeer grumbled to the salarian.

"What?" Miranda turned to the Krogan. A pain stabbed at her thigh, she ignored it.

The krogan looked back at the salarian. "There is something we can try, and you know it." he pointed at the salarian.

"Doctor Solus?" Miranda turned back to him, "Is he telling the truth."

"No." the salarian said, "Too risky. Have incomplete data. No human or sentient testing."

"What is he talking about?" Miranda asked, turning from the glass.

"You want to tell her or should I?" the krogan gestured. He was silent for a moment, then sighed in resignation.

"After Horizon mission, managed to recover collector bodies. Fourteen to be exact, plus many miscellaneous appendages. . ."

"Collector tech can fix her." the krogan interrupted, "Is what he's trying to say."

"Collector tech?" Miranda grew hesitant, "What do you mean?"

The krogan activated his omnitool. he brought up his research from Horizon. "Collector 'blood' is not blood." he flicked across the screen, "What those things have flowing through their whatever they have instead of veins is much, much more."

He grinned. "Remember a time before medi-gel Miranda? Don't know if you do, you're all so young… but I do. And it was messy."

He brought up another screen. "This stuff flowing through Collectors is to medigel what medigel is to a bandage. It consists of a cocktail of anesthetics, clotting agents, proteins and programmable nanites that repair the flesh according to a pre-programmed pattern."

"You want to stick, that stuff, in her?" Miranda asked, aghast.

The Krogan shrugged, unfazed by her disgust. "Why not? It works." he brought up a video, it displayed a laboratory table with a steel tray. On the tray Miranda could make out a neatly dissected human heart.

"I sliced a heart in two, reprogrammed half a litre of this stuff and exposed it to the broken organ."

"Where did you get a human heart?" She asked the krogan.

"Does it matter?" He replied and played the video. Miranda watched as a sickly yellow substance was poured over the heart. Even as she watched Miranda could see something building over the neat slice.

"This stuff repaired the heart in minutes." Okeer stated. "Manufactured new heart tissue out of a soup of proteins and glucose. The damn thing was even beating by the end of it." he closed the video.

"It works." he said.

"We don't know that." Mordin replied, and turned back to Miranda, "Small scale tissue repair only. No tests done on sentient beings."

"Do you have any alternatives?" the krogan asked.

The salarian was silent.

Miranda shifted her weight, she could feel the hip ache creeping in again. She looked up to the pair of doctors. "My primary concern… my only concern, at this point in time, is keeping Shepard alive."

The two were silent. She pointed to the bed. "I've spent the last two years of my life rebuilding that woman. I am not going to let her die now. Not this soon after she's back," she looked at Okeer. "Do it."

* * *

><p>Her conscious mind regathered itself. It swam back into being and coalesced from oblivion.<p>

Slowly, Glaedara opened her eyes. They stung. There was a light above. She blinked against the harsh glare. That stung too. She felt something soft beneath her. She must be lying on a bed.

The feeling in the rest of her body slowly returned. Sometimes rising out of the numbness of sleep, sometimes flaring in agony.

She turned her head to the side. It rested on a pillow. She was in a small room. The right wall was translucent glass, the entrance a glass panel door implemented into the wall.

She tried to sit up. Pain flared in her chest. Her lungs felt like they were burning. She carefully lay back down, groaning in protest.

"I advise you not to move, farseer." came a voice from the corner of the room.

"Eleiyra?" Glaedara wheezed. Her own voice a tiny whimper in the room. She tried to bring her own head up to look.

"Yes, Farseer. I'm here."

Glaedara felt a small pressure on her left arm, and saw Eleiyra with her hand extended to her arm. She stood over the bed. Her hood down, her deep, black hair loose over her shoulders. She wore her armour and cloak.

"What?..."

"Don't speak, Farseer. You are weak enough already. Your display… it was remarkable." her features conveyed sincerity, "It drained you. We almost lost you to the stress."

The farseer was about to speak, Eleiyra gently held up a hand to stop her.

"You want to know what happened?" Eleiyra asked.

The farseer nodded.

"You saved us. You saved the Normandy. I'm been told that Shepard heeded your warning. They despatched the ambushers and re-activated the docking clamps. After I got out off the ship I came to find you. You were unconscious on the hangar floor. I brought you here immediately."

She tried to voice her thanks to the ranger, and failed.

The ranger smiled, "You are very welcome, Farseer." Eleiyra said, picking up on the intention. "But now you must rest. You took incredible strain. you mind and spirit need time to heal. I will inform the others that you've woken. They all want to offer you their thanks. You saved all our lives."

"It was necessary." The farseer replied and gestured to the door, "Your vigil over me is humbling. But no longer necessary. Now that I am awake I wish to meditate. I will heal much quicker if I concentrate."

"As you wish, Farseer." Eleiyra bowed her head in respect and departed the room.

* * *

><p>He was outside of his armour. He wore a Cerberus officer's uniform. Black and white, with the organization's logo imprinted on the left breast. He still kept his boots and gloves. He had obtained an overcoat from one of the officer's barracks. Hanging around his neck, was the precious seal of the Inquisition.<p>

He outstretched his hands and felt the neatly sliced rockcrete in front of him. He stood in a large storage hangar, the gentle humm of the station's machinery beneath his feet.

"You retrieved it I see…" he said to his host.

"Yes." Petrovsky replied. He walked up to stand beside Eisenmus. "Cerberus recovery teams extracted it from the surface of Charles' Rock just after your ship left. Something like this is too valuable to leave behind."

"You have no idea…" Eisenmus said as he looked up at the slice of imperial architecture. Their initial entry point into this world, the inner sanctum of the Agrippus cathedral, sat in the centre of the hangar space. The spherical cross section of the hive city was supported by a series of braces and anti grav fields around the base. Eisenmus and his Cerberus counterpart stood at the bottom of the hangar. There was evidence of investigation all around the hangar, machines, diagnostic equipment and servicing tools were scattered about the surface on mobile tables.

"I must say, the craftsmanship is remarkable." Petrovsky said. He edged closer to a small relief near the neat edge of the stone. "We've been unable to identify a material used in its construction, its structural properties far outclass any known material."

"Adamantium." Eisenmus replied. "Commonly used throughout the Imperium for construction and armour."

"Hmm." The Cerberus officer was silent for a moment. "Then humanity has much to learn from its descendants."

The inquisitor retracted his hand from the stone. "We have targets of interest. My magos has identified many artefacts and trinkets scattered throughout Citadel space that no doubt originated from our Imperium." He retrieved his dataslate clasped to his waist. "I have compiled a list for your teams to investigate."

The Cerberus officer looked through the list, scanning the items as he scrolled through the dozens of entries.

"These all originated in your time?"

"Yes. We don't know how they got back here. We arrived with this only weeks ago" he gestured back to the ruin. "Some of those other trinkets on that list have been around for centuries. There's a statue in the Praesidium whose arrival time dates back to the Protheans."

Petrovsky's eyebrow arched, "Fascinating. All these curiosities under our noses and we were none the wiser… We shall have teams retrieve as many of these as we can. They could offer us valuable insight."

"I want to see any items you retrieve as soon as possible." Eisenmus stated.

"Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way. You know more than anyone else the purpose of this technology." The man replied. He transferred the list from the datapad to his omnitool and handed it back to the Inquisitor, who accepted it.

Eisenmus nodded agreeing with the officer. The items on that list were mostly imperial trinkets and useless items. Hakkon has kept many of the more valuable items secret for now. That list was a test. Would they allow him and his retinue to examine the items they find? Or would they keep them for themselves? He currently had no reason to trust them with the more valuable leads yet. If they proved themselves, then he could put forward his more interesting finds.

"I will forward this to our procurement teams. I will keep you updated of any developments."

"Very good. Thank you." Eisenmus replied. Petrovsky turned and paced away from the inquisitor, who turned his attention back to the ruin of the inner sanctum.

* * *

><p>She strode through the streets of this alien city. Uncloaked and unhooded. Dozens, hundreds of aliens strode along the streets.<p>

This was her first time exploring the city at street level. The towering spires and towers she experienced while travelling unseen high above had been replaced by vast, deep canyons of buildings. High walls to either side, most decorated with gaudy neon lighting. The surge of people around her.

Some stared. Some didn't. She saw turian, salarian, human and batarian. Most however, were asari.

She passed store after store along the street. She understood the economy of buying and selling, but she had never seen anything on this scale. It seemed the entire city was just a vast temple dedicated to worshipping commerce. She had yet to discover where anything was made. Did they import everything from offworld? What was the point?

She continued on with her exploration. Was there anything to do on this planet besides shop for useless things?

* * *

><p>"I still can't believe I agreed to this." Doctor Chakwas muttered as she prepared the injection materials. She stood next to the Commander's bed. Extra equipment had been brought in to monitor her life signs. The doctor did a quick scan of them all. Her vitals were very weak. They'd already had to revive her once. She wasn't sure how long she had.<p>

"Samples reprogrammed." Mordin said from behind her. "Extracting." A sickly yellowish liquid spilled from the machine Okeer had retrieved from the Normandy's lab. His krogan physiology was highly resistant to the levels of radiation still flooding the ship. The liquid filled one of the test tubes the salarian had placed under the output nozzle of the apparatus.

He retrieved the test tube and brought it over to Chakwas. She accepted it and filled up the first syringe. There were a dozen more sitting in a row on the moving bed tray beside her.

"I hope this does what you claim, Professor." She said.

"Yes. Hoping for success. Experimental treatment."

The doctor wasn't fully encouraged by the salarian's words but made to begin the injection. This was the first round of treatment. Okeer and Mordin both agreed that this would have to be done gradually over the course of a week. Too much too quickly could be fatal.

The doctor worked through the remainder of the syringes. Accepting a new batch of the fluid from Mordin every time. Every injection went into a different section of Shepard's collapsed lung.

Chakwas finished. Mordin took the used medical equipment away. She did another quick scan of the vital monitors.

"You came back from the dead once, Commander," she muttered to herself. "I'm going to have to ask you to do it a second time."

* * *

><p>The entertainment hub of Nos Astra. Busy with bars, nightclubs entertainment venues, shows and theatres, as well as many other more exotic forms of entertainment found on a world as legally lax as Illium.<p>

Eleiyra leapt through the air, her previous position a haze of incoming bolts. They had made it perfectly clear that they would only stun her, but she still didn't want to find out.

Not that any of them had actually hit her of course.

Her cloak billowed behind her and she raised her rifle in a fluid motion. She fired. A bright light of energy erupted from the end of the weapon. The head of a holographic mech exploded in a shower of rendered fragments. She didn't stop to look. She swiveled round and dispatched two more that were trying to flank her. She kept moving. Her rifle making short work of the psuedo-enemies. Her short pistol was by her waist, she drew it as she saw a herd of the short four legged mechs approach.

Just as they were about to rush her. She leapt up and over them. She hit them all from the air, landing behind them. Behind her, their holographic remains fizzed and died.

A great noise sounded, and the lights around the edge of the arena dimmed from bright spotlights back down to their usual glow. She heard people around the top of the arena, many of them cheered at the spectacle.

She stroked her hair out of her face and walked over to the entrance of the arena. The door slid open as she approached and she entered the small prep chamber where she had been just minutes before.

There was the same asari that had been there on her arrival. She stood there next to the arena's modest weapon selection with a mixed look of wonder and disbelief on her face.

"Lady, fair credit. I take back what I said before." The asari commented. "You just didn't look the type for combat is all I meant."

"Can your arena produce more of a challenge?" Eleiyra asked. Her heart still racing from the fight.

The asari just looked at her. Outside and above the arena, Eleiyra's performance score along with her portrait was projected on the holo board suspended above the stadium. They couldn't see the score from within the tiny prep room, but the volume of the cheering outside told them all they needed to know.

The asari grinned. "Lady, you ain't seen nothing yet."

* * *

><p>Something swam into focus. She couldn't think. Only faint images. faint thoughts. She couldn't concentrate on anything.<p>

Suddenly light. She woke up. She saw the white ceiling above her head. She heard her breathing for the first time. She tried to move her eyes. She was lying on a bed. Some kind of medical lab. This wasn't the Normandy.

What happened? The Normandy?

The Normandy was damaged. Someone blew it up!

She strained to get up. Something had happened. How long was she asleep for?

She heard some beeping. she didn't know what it was. She couldn't get up. She tried again. Suddenly, she saw Mordin and Okeer standing over her.

"Please, Shepard. Advise against movement. Still very heavily injured. Rest is primary priority. Only cause further damage."

"Wha. ." she tried but found her mouth dry of moisture. She coughed. "What happened?"

"A pathetic excuse for assassination." Okeer replied. He looked up at something over her head. She tried to look, but couldn't see.

"How long?" She croaked.

"Since the attack? three days." Mordin replied at his usual lightning speed.

"Pressure spiking." Okeer muttered. "Too much strain too soon. We need her unconscious."

Mordin returned. "Shepard. Will now apply sedative. Treatment still delicate. Could fail. Need you to rest."

Shepard was going to say something before a wave of weariness flooded her body and she slipped back into the bliss of unconsciousness.


End file.
